Legend of Kratos?
by freakyanimegal
Summary: Kratos wakes up one day to find himself a child in a treehouse with a fairy named Navi annoying him. Join the Seraph as he goes on another journey, and even weirder, some of the people there seem familiar...O.o COMPLETE! THANKS GUYS! n.n
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I am deranged. All these self-inserts with real people, I thought, What if a videogame **

**CHARACTER was sucked into ANOTHER videogame?**

**  
That my friends, I find interesting.**

**Disclaimer: I own tos and Zelda, and if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.**

"Hey! Wake up! Hey!" an annoying voice nagged.

Was I asleep? I haven't been asleep in... two thousand years? I opened my eyes and realized I was no

longer on Derris-Kharlan, but what looked like the inside of a tree. I sat upright and a little ...fairy?

"Finally you woke up!" it said. "C'mon! The Deku Tree has summoned you!"

"The...Deku Tree?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?" it whilred around. "Oh no! Kratos, have you lost your memory?"

If only I had been that fortunate.

"I'm sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone." I said.

"Nope. You're the kid."

Kid?

"What?" I blinked. "I outlive you, that's certain."

"I am NOT ten years old!" the fairy flew around.

Wait... what? I looked into the mirror and almost gasped. I was about ten, short, pointy ears, and an

unusual green outfit, and I didn't have any weapon on me.

"What in the name of-?" I stared.

"You HAVE lost your memory Kratos!" the fairy swirled around. "Oh no! This is terrible!"

"Would you mind telling me what your name is?" I snapped.

"It's Navi! And I'm your partner!"

Partner?

"Come on, let's get to the Deku Tree and maybe he'll help you."

Without a better choice, I decided to follow the small winged-being outside, where a girl ran up.

"Kratos!" she smiled. "This is wonderful! You finally have a fairy!"

"..." I gave her a blank stare.

"Kratos?" she frowned. "Are you okay?"

"It's awful Saria!" Navi said. "Kratos has lost his memory!"

"What?" the girl gasped. "Is it true? Kratos, don't you remember me?"

I shook my head. Never seen anyone like her- Wait...

"Oh no..." she frowned. "Go to the Deku tree!! He'll help you remember!"

"Yes! Let's get going!" Navi whirled around.

Having nothing to lose, I followed the light-speck through the strange village and up to a boy.

I am considering killing him.

"You can't get in!" he said. "I, The Great Mido, will never let you in! You don't even have a fairy!"

"Then what's she called?" I pointed to Navi.

"A a f-fairy?" He gasped. "No way!"

"Let me in."

"No!"

I glared, but apparently I'm not as threatening when I'm this small.

"If you want to get in you at LEAST need a sword and shield!"

Not a bad idea. I need SOMETHING dangerous with me, or I'll grow soft. I decided to let the fool live

until I found these items.

"Come on!" Navi said. "Let's go to the shop! They sell shields!"

Yes, they sold shields, but they cost fourty... ruppees? Odd currency. The next thing I knew, I had to

scrounge around for cash.

"C'mon!" the fairy said. "Look in the grass! And break open rocks!"

Money here comes from the ground? How convenient.

I managed to gather twenty ruppees, but I still needed twenty more.

"Hey!" Navi said. "Up on the that cliff! There's alot!"

I looked up at the cliff near the shop, there appeared to be no way to climb up.

"How do I get up there?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's not like you have wings..." Navi turned blue.

"...Is anyone looking?" I asked.

"Huh? No. Why?"

I unfurled my sapphire wings and quickly flew up and grabbed the ruppees.

"OH MY GODDESSES!" Navi gasped. "You're a-!"

"Shh." I glared, jumping off the cliff and folding up my wings.

"You're a fairy!"

What-? If she wants to see a fairy, she should've seen Mithos.

"WHAT?" I gasped. "I am NOT a fairy! I'm an angelic being."

Since when do I shout? Huh... Well then, I am a child again...

"Whatever." Navi stopped whirling around. "But seriously! How do you have WINGS?"

"None of your business." I stated, walking into the store.

Once inside I bought a shield, then it floated over my head.

"You got the deku shield!" Navi chirped. "Isn't it PRETTIFUL?"

"How is it floating?" I blinked, looking up at it.

"I...don't know." the fairy stopped.

"Now where can I find a sword?"

Apparently, in a giant bowling alley. How does the boulder keep rolling? That's impossible...

"WHOAH!" I ran into another pathway, right into a large chest. "Ugh!"

"Oooowww." Navi whirled around. "That looked painful."

"Shut up." I griped, getting up off the ground.

"Open the chest already!" the annoying pest flew around.

Which I did, and I was met by an extremely bright light, how does that happen?

"AH!" I covered my eyes. "That's BRIGHT!"

"You got the kokiri sword!" Navi chirped. "Equip it on the start menu!"

"The what?" I stared.

"Huh... I dunno... it just came out..." the fairy seemed scared.

"...Right." I nodded slowly.

Once outside I headed toward Mido's house. From what the other Kokiri said, he was a jerk. In his

house I found several chests, so... I took the contents. The bastard deserved it.

"C'mon Kratos!" Navi whirled around. "We have to go to the Great Deku Tree!"

Once again, I was before Mido.

"You can't come in without a sword and shield!"

"I have both you idiot, look." I showed him the sheath and shield.

"Wh-WHAT? Wait! I only see the sheath! Where's the sword? Show me the sword!"

He DID ask for it... I kicked him in the knees, making him fall onto the ground, and then I put

the point of the sword to his throat.

"See." I smirked.

"AHHH! DON'T KILL ME! I'M TOO GOOD-LOOKING TO DIE!"

This boy should get together with Zelos...

"Kratos!" Navi said. "Don't kill him!"

"Why shouldn't I?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure if anyone ELSE was in my posistion and being

bossed around by this shrimp, they'd want to kill him."

( A/N. It's true. Who DOESN'T want to kill Mido? I mean my DAD played it and the first thing he did

when he had the sword was slash him and then swear because he didn't die! I like my dad.)

"Well..." Navi answered. "Because he's for future plot."

I rolled my eyes and walked past the boy, who was in a fetal posistion. That's when I learned

two things. One, the monster's here pop out of nowhere, two, apparently, I can no longer use my

advance techniques for fighting...

"AH!" I slammed into the wall. "That is IT!"

I drew the sword, jumped into the air and slashed the creature down the middle.

"You sound so CUTE when you scream!" Navi laughed.

Curse this age's high-pitched voice and emotional tendencies.

"I'm going to peel off your wings if you don't shut up!" I shouted.

"But you're CUTE! Along with that little hat!"

That reminds me, since when do I wear a hat? I took it off.

"What? No! You can't do that!" the fairy swirled around.

"Why not?" I stated. "I don't wear hats."

"But the hat's your trademark!" it moaned.

"No it's not, 'Blame your fate' is my trademark." I griped.

"JUST WEAR THE DAMN HAT!"

I'm taking orders from a fairy... how far I've fallen... I walked into the clearing to see a giant tree. Wow,

it kind of looks like the Giant Kharlan Tree-

"Navi, thou art back."

Except that it talks...

"Whoah!" I gasped.

"Kratos," it said. "If thou art courageous, I need your help."

I nodded.

"A curse hath been cast upon me by a desert man, wilt thou break the curse?"

I stopped to consider.

"Fine. However I have a question for you..."

"What asketh thou?"

"...Do you know of a place called Symphonia?"

"...Hath thou injured thine head?"

I sighed, maybe I was the only one who had a clue what was going on...

"Nevermind. I"ll help you though."

I wasn't going to get any answers otherwise...

"Go forth, and may the goddess of luck smile on thee."

I almost gasped as the tree's front simply opened up. I've seen strange things in my centuries, but

this... this was the strangest.

"Let's go Kratos!" Navi chirped.

I wonder how the inside of this tree can be larger than it's outside. There are webs and more of

those man-eating plants in here, a some skeletons with spider legs. I've seen worse.

"Kratos! You've gotta get through the web in the floor!"

"How do you suggest I do that?"

"Go REALLY REALLY high and jump!"

I stared at her. "...You're kidding, right?"

"Do YOU have a better idea?"

In fact, I did.

"Fire ball!"

The web shriveled up, Navi instantly started nagging.

"WOW! How could you do that-? Hey wait a minute! You still need to get the slingshot!"

"What? Why would I need-?"

"JUST GET IT!!!!"

Holy mana, she is even more annoying than Pronyma! So I found myself having to go to the second

floor (Which was not difficult thanks to my wings.) and going through this room to find the slingshot.

"There, I've got the retarded slingshot, can we go now?"

"Sure! Just shoot the ladder down!"

"...I don't need a ladder." I said slowly. "I can just fly to the door."

She was silent for a moment.

"Oh. That works too."

I sighed and headed for the door. After yet more traveling and more of that fairy NAGGING- Sorry,

we finally got to the basement.

"We have to light the torches, burn the webs and get to the next level through the water!"

"Or I could just set fire to the webs and fly over to the higher section."

"Oh shut up! Are you trying to put me out of a job buddy?!"

"Is that possible?" I asked, somewhat hopefully.

After getting through these fairly easy 'puzzles' I found myself in a room with three- What the hell-?

"Watch out!" Navi shouted. "Deku scrubs! Use your shield to fire the nuts back at them!"

I put the deku shield in front of me, deflecting one deku nut.

"Hee!" one of the creatures laughed. "You'll never beat us without the code!"

"Code-?" I blinked.

"Oh drat! I bet if we went into one of the other rooms YOU SKIPPED we'd have found it out!" Navi

griped. "IDIOT!"

"Shut up you little insect!" I snapped.

"Twenty three is number one! Twenty three is number one!" one of the creatures laughed.

"...Two, three one?" I blinked.

"Oh, wait..." the creature blinked.

"YOU IDIOT LEROY!" one of them shouted. "WHY did you tell him that?"

"MORON!" the third called.

"I was trying to TAUNT him..." Leroy moaned.

"IDIOT!" the other two shouted, shooting at him.

"AH! MEANIES!" Leroy shot back.

The three 'scrubs' began to fight amongst themeselves, and eventually they were all out-cold.

"..." I stared.

"Wow. That was...convenient." Navi said.

Before me was a large door, was it just my imagination, or did I hear legs moving behind it...?

**Heh... I understand if you don't like it. But er...can you tell me what you think? After all, I just **

**broke my 'five story limit'...hee...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, someone actually liked it! Hee.**

**Lloyd: About twenty of them.**

**Me: What are you doing here?**

**Genis: We stopped by to annoy you.**

**Cheresea (OC from 'GrandKid'): Yeah, seeing as this story's the only other story you write **

**that you actually think is even close to 'Grandkid'.**

**  
Lloyd: Hey, what about 'Plot Twist'?**

**Me: Okay, that one too, but people dig this one so-**

**Cheresea: But my story is still the best:p**

**Genis: What? SAY THAT TO MY FACE!**

**Cheresea: I just did.**

**Lloyd:...Yeah, she did... O.o**

**Me: Can I please start the story now? **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
**

I walked into the room, it was dark, but...

"What's that-?" Navi shivered.

I felt a shiver up my spine, I looked up-

CRASH!

"HOLY MOTHER OF MANA!"

What IS that-?

"It's Queen Gohma!" Navi shrieked. "AIM FOR THE EYE!"

Gohma launched for me, I leapt into the air with my wings, heart pounding.

"What IS this thing-?"

"She's the parasite queen!" Navi shouted. "She's the one making the Deku Tree sick!"

"All right then..."

Gohma snatched at the air with her pincers, trying to snap at me. I avoided her onslaught and

dove in and slashed her eye. The parasite gave out a shriek, falling onto the ground. While she was

immobolized I slashed her a few more times, until she got up that is.

"AGH!"

She cut me! That feeble arachnid cut me!

"JUDGMENT!"

Gohma shrieked again, falling onto the ground. This time I stabbed her through the eye into her skull.

"You did it!" Navi chirped.

Gohma shrieked as it's body started to disenegrate into nothing, leaving a blue light.

"Step into the light Kratos!" Navi said.

"..."

I obeyed, apparently the light is like a warp pad.

I appeared outside of the Great Deku Tree...

"Kratos, thou hast done well. Now, thou must heed my words, will thou listen?"

I nodded, I was actually interested on what was going on here.

"I must start with the goddesses... There were three that descended from the heavens to create the

world. Din, the goddess of power, with her strong flaming arms she crafted the world... Naryu, the

goddess of wisdom, her intellect giving order and law to the world... Farore, goddess of courage, with

her rich soul she gave to the world life, which would uphold the law."

I nodded, signaling for him to continue. These 'goddesses' could they be summon spirits?

"These goddesses, their trials completed, left the world unto the heavens. The spot they descended

from, the sacred realm, was sealed. Three sacred stones unlock the sacred realm, in which the man of

the desert desired so badly, he cursed me."

As Lloyd would say... 'bastard'.

"Kratos, though your efforts were successful, I was doomed before you began..."

My eyes widened. What?

"It was a test, to prove thine skill..."

I was USED by a tree-?

"Kratos, thou must not allow the evil man of the desert to set foot in the sacred realm."

A green light shined above me, an emeral the size of my head descending into my hands.

"..."

"Thou must go to Hyrule castle, where thou will meet the princess of destiny..."

"Great Deku Tree..." Navi moaned.

"Thank you Navi..." the tree grayed. "For...thine...help...good...by...e..."

I gaped in shock as the tree stiffened, as if turned to stone.

"...Let's go Kratos." Navi said softly.

I nodded slowly, leaving the tree in silence.

"...Goodbye Deku Tree..." Navi whispered before following.

I felt...bad, for some reason. It's not like I knew the Tree but... Oh great, it's Mido again.

"You! WHAT HAPPENED? YOU FREAKING KILLED THE DEKU TREE!"

"What-?" I stared. "I tried to SAVE him-"

"YOU JERK! I KNEW YOU WEREN'T ONE OF US!" Mido shouted, walking off in a huff.

"..."

"Ignore him Kratos, he does that to everyone, in case you don't remember that yet..."

"Whatever." I snorted, walking off.

"Wh-what? YOU LITTLE PUNK!"

I ignored her, but that little light speck keeps following me for the love of mana... I managed to

find the exit of the village and walked across the bridge...

"You're leaving."

I paled, turning around to see that girl, Saria.

"Yes."

"...I knew you'd leave someday." she said sadly. "Because you aren't like me and my friends..."

"..."

Did she know anything about...?

"Here." she handed me a wooden ocarina. "I want you to have it."

I looked at it silently, then looked back at her.

"Come back someday. Okay?" she whispered.

That's when I had the shock of my long life, her face... her face changed. Brown hair, big

chocolate colored eyes...

"Anna-?" I gasped.

"...Kratos-" she reached for my hand.

I backed away, staring at her in shock. Impossible! What-? What was going on-? I backed away from

her before I turned and ran out of the area, leaving her behind me.

"Kratos?" Navi asked. "Are you okay? Why'd you call her 'Anna'?"

"...I-"

"HOO HOO!"

I practically jumped, an owl, the size of a dragon was in the tree above me, looking down.

"Hoo hoo! Well I've see you've begun your journey, eh?"

Who the hell IS this crazy bird...?

"You should head for Hyrule castle! There you'll meet the Princess. Someone ELSE you might know."

"What?" I snapped. "What do you mean by that?"

"You knew the forest girl, did you not?"

I felt my blood run cold.

"...Who are you?"

"Hoo hoo! I don't need to give you my NAME, however, ol' Rauru might fill you in!"

"Rauru? Who's Rauru?"

"The light Sage?" Navi asked.

"Hoo hoo! Maybe! Maybe!"

The owl flew off, I ran after it.

"Wait! Come back here!" I spread my wings and flew after him.

"Hoo hoo!" he hooted. "Good luck Kratos!"

Then he dissappeared. Just...dissappeared.

"What? Where did you go you derenged bird?'!" I shouted.

"Kratos!" Navi flew over to me. "Deal with him later, we need to get to the palace!"

"..." I sighed. "Fine. Which way is it?"

I found myself walking to the palace, not wanting anyone to see my wings without a reason. I strode

toward the town gates, my mind racing. Who was that owl? How did he know about... and why...

"Hey Kratos?" Navi asked. "Why did you call Saria 'Anna'?"

"...She...looked like someone I knew." I answered simply.

"Oh! Are you getting your memory back?"

"...Let's just keep going."

We finally entered the Castle Town, which was as crowded and lively as Meltokio.

"Hello there fairy-boy!"

...Did someone just call me 'Fairy-boy'...? I turned around, ready to shout at-

"I'm Malon!" the girl grinned.

She was a farm girl by the looks of it, hair the same shade as Zelos' and eyes like Colette.

"Could you help me? My dad ran off and I can't find him! He's probably sleeping, hee!"

I raised an eyebrow at her, walking past the girl toward the palace. At first I decided simply to ask.

You think I would have more sense than that.

"YOU?" the guard laughed. "Sorry kid! The palace is no place for twerps like you!"

"...Did you just call me a twerp?" I hissed.

The guard flinched. "Whoah! Don't look at me like that! I take it back! I take it back!"

"Then let me in." I stated coldly.

"Sorry..." he shivered. "You're scary, but Impa's even scarier..."

"Impa?"

"YIPE! I said too much! Sorry, but you have to leave!"

I snorted, turning away from the man and heading for the town-

"Hoo hoo! Having trouble?"

I looked up, the owl again!

"You!" I shouted. "Tell me what you know about what's going on!"

"Hoo hoo! Rauru wouldn't like that. Hoo hoo! Not Rauru! Hoo! Not Origin!"

"Origin...?" I paled. "Rauru is Origin?"

"Hoo! I've said too much, oh dear."

The bird flew off, leaving me even more angry.

"Origin..." I muttered.

"WOW! THAT WAS A BIG BIRD!"

I turned around to see that Malon girl again, she was smiling.

"Dad hasn't come back. Could you find him for me? He should be in the palace."

"..."

"Please?" she whimpered. "Look! I'll even give you this egg!"

She handed me an egg, I stared at her.

"You expect people to help you for an EGG?"

"Oh come on!" she whined. "PLEASE?

"Yeah Kratos!" Navi said. "You should help people!"

I sighed. "Fine. But I don't know how I'll get into the palace-"

"That's easy silly!" Malon grinned. "Sneak in!"

Before I could say another word, she ran off, leaving me to feel pretty...stupid.

"...I'll wait till dark."

And when it was dark I simply flew over the castle courtyard until I spotted a sleeping man.

"Hey!" Navi said. "That must be Malon's dad!"

I nodded to show I heard her, I flew down and landed next to the sleeping man. Then I learned...

Only Lloyd, only Lloyd can outsleep him.

"Grr..." I growled after my umpteenth attempt to wake him.

"Maybe if we had a chicken to wake him up..." Navi said.

"...A chicken? A chicken is NOT going to-"

That's when the egg in my pocket hatched, then crowed.

"WHAT IN TARNATION?"

How the hell does a chicken crow when it first hatches...?

"Who're you?" the man said.

"...Do you know a girl named Malon-?"

"MALON! HOLY SEACOWS SHE'S GONNA LET ME HAVE IT!"

The man ran off, leaving a trail of dust-clouds behind him. There are so many...odd, people here...

"Well, now you just gotta get into that hole in there..." Navi flew toward the water way.

"Simple." I said.

I flew over to the water spout and landed, folding up my wings. I crawled through the space and...

"Uh-oh!" Navi yelped. "They're so many guards! How are you going to sneak past them-?"

"...Navi. Are you really that...dense?" I asked.

"HEY! WHO YOU CALLING-?"

"Shh!" I closed her in my hands. "They'll hear you you idiot!"

I could hear her muffled cries of 'Let me go you-' and other words I don't feel the need to say.

Getting past the guards was...how do I say this? As easy as confusing Lloyd. Yes. That easy.

"..."

The place I found myself in was a garden of sorts, there was a girl standing by the wall, looking at what

I assumed was a window. I walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me."

The girl turned around and yelped.

"Ah! Who are you-? How did you get past the guards?"

I was about to tell her the guards weren't fit to guard a beanpatch, when I releazied who she was.

"..."

Her eyes were a reddish brown, and I could see her hairline was dark red.

"Mae?" I whispered.

Mae, that's my sister.

**Lloyd: Whoah whoah, time out here. Freaky?  
**

**Me: Yeah?  
**

**Lloyd: WHY is Dad hallucinating he knows all these people?  
**

**Me: Is he hallucinating? Or is everyone else hallucinating?  
**

**Lloyd: Huh?  
**

**Me: I have bended the line between reality and dreamworld! What is real? What is not? **

**MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!**

**Lloyd: Have you taken your meds today?**

**Me:...yes...no...kinda.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Before I begin I would like to say that Zelda and Link are SIBLINGS! Here's the evidence:**

**1. Zelda said his name was familiar when they first met.**

**2. Zelda's mom, the queen, suppossedly ran off and died when she was little.**

**3. Link's mom was dying when she ran to Kokiri forest and gave him to the Tree.**

**4. Sharp and Flat in the graveyard said Link had a connection even when he didn't play the **

**Zelda's lullaby song, which was suppossed to be the only thing that showed a connection.**

**5. THEY LOOK ALIKE!**

**Coincidence? I think not!**

**Lloyd: Would you shut up please?**

**Genis: So... Link and Zelda can't be together...?  
**

**Me: Sigh... Regardless if I'm wrong or not, that's how I'm treating it in this story, okay?**

**Cheresea: I've gotta play that OoT game... Lloyd! Get me that game!  
**

**Lloyd: What-? No!  
**

**Cheresea: ...Pwease? Becawse I'm your wittle girl...?  
**

**Lloyd: (Sigh) For Christmas maybe.**

**Cheresea: SKLEE! Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

"Mae?" I paled.

"Who...?" she blinked, then caught sight of Navi. "A fairy-? Hey! Did you come from the forest?"

"Yes, but-"

"Oh! You wouldn't happen to have the spiritual stone? That green and shining stone?"

I just stared at her and then shook my head. What was with me? I had to be hallucinating or something.

"You don't have it?" she said, seeing me shake my head.

"What? No, I have it, it's just-"

She giggled. "I knew it!"

"..."

"Oh! I'm sorry, where are my manners?" she smiled. "I am Princess Ze...m.."

"Zem?"

She looked confused a moment, then shook her head.

"Princess ZELDA," she finished. "I'm sorry about that. I spaced."

"...Kratos." I said simply.

I must have hit my head, she still looks like my little sister...

"Kratos..." she bit her lip. "Strange... it sounds...familiar somehow."

"..."

"Please, can I tell you something?" she asked.

"...Yes." I nodded.

"It goes like this... you know the legend of the sacred realm, right?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"There's more to it..." she said. "When the goddesses left the world, they left behind a sacred relic."

Relic? Heh, sounds like something Raine would want.

"Three golden triangles, called the triforce which is sealed in the sacred realm." she fidgeted. "The

Triforce has the power to grant a wish to whoever posseses it. If someone with a righteous heart

makes a wish, Hryule will enter an age of peace and prosperity."

A wish... Maybe I could get home...

"But?" I asked.

"If someone with a wicked heart makes a wish..."

"Hryule will be plunged into darkness and chaos?" I finished.

Zelda blinked, then laughed. "You're pretty smart."

"Heh."

"The three Spiritual stones are the key to unlocking the Door of Time, which is the entryway to

the sacred realm." she said. "Along with the ancient relic, the ocarina of time!"

"I see..."

"Now, see..." she bit her lip. "I'm...frightened. See... I had a dream, a vision.."

"...And in it?" I asked.

"Well...In my dream, I saw dark clouds covering Hryule." she muttered. "They swallowed everything,

but then I saw a figure from the forest, with a fairy and a shining stone. It blew the clouds away."

"...I see." I nodded my head.

"I told my father about it, but he thought it was just a nightmare. You believe me, right?"

"..." I nodded. "I've heard crazier."

"Great! Oh!" she turned to the window. "I was peeking in here, you should look in."

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Just do it, please."

I sighed and walked forward to look into the window. There was a tall man wearing black armor,

bowing toward the area I couldn't see. He turned and locked eyes with me.

"..." I paled. "Not again..."

His face changed, green eyes and blonde hair. Yggdrasill?! I shook my head, he changed back.

"Do you see him?" Zelda said. "That man, I think the black clouds symbolize him..."

"..." I turned to look at her.

"His name is Ganondorf. Though he swears alligeince to my father, I know he is not sincere." she

sighed. "My father might be fooled, but I can sense that man's dark intentions!"

"...So what do you plan to do about it?" I asked, eyes still on the man who just looked like Mithos...

"I was hoping you'd ask!" Zelda laughed. "See, I know he's after the Triforce. So..."

"You want to get it first?" I asked. "So you want me to fetch those other stones."

She blinked at me through wide eyes. "Exactly...wow, you're very smart Kratos."

"Heh." I smirked.

I looked back in through the window, Ganondorf was gone. My heart sped up again, why...first the

Saria girl looking like Anna, this... Zelda, looking like my little sister, and now this man who... Was I

finally going senile? Anna, Mae, Mithos... all dead, and I was seeing them all...

"Kratos?" Zelda blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"So where should I head first?" I asked.

"Hee." she smiled. "Impa will help you with that."

"Impa?"

I looked toward where I came in, a woman was standing there.

"She's my nanny." Zelda said. "Don't be afraid of her."

"SHE is your nanny...?" I asked.

THAT assasin? THAT Pronyma class prostitute? A nanny? Now that, is ridiculous.

"Yes. Oh, here's one last thing."

Zelda handed me a note.

"This will help you out." she smiled. "Come back here when you get the other stones, okay?"

I nodded. "Yes, you can count on me. ...Princess."

I turned to leave, Navi flying right beside me.

"Good luck Br-"

I flinched, then turned around to stare at Zelda.

"What did you just...?" I paled.

"I'm sorry." she blushed. "I uh...I don't know what's wrong with me."

She almost called me brother... She almost called me brother! My heart raced, this couldn't be a

coincidence, none of this could... What was going on?

"HELELOOOOOOOOO???"

Argh! That little pest!

"Navi!" I snapped. "Stop ramming into my head!"

"Sooorrrryyyyy!" Navi whined. "Is it my fault you keep spacing out?"

"Shut up." I said simply, walking toward that 'Impa' woman.

"The princess told you of her vision, did she not?" she asked me.

I nodded.

"It is as she says. ...This might help you in your quest, learn this melody well..."

She stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled a melody of some sort.

"Try it, Kratos!" Navi told me.

"..."

I took out the ocarina that An- Saria, had given me and attempted to copy the melody.

Impa nodded. "Perfect. This melody is only passed down by the royal family, play it if the need ever

arises that you must prove your connection to the throne."

Connection...why do I have a tiny feeling that means something more?

"If the guards find you there will be trouble." Impa said. "I'll take you out."

The next second I heard a crack, then I was temporarily blinded before seeing I was outside.

"...How did you do that?" I asked.

She smiled. "...Boy, you see that mountain?"

"Yes. And please refrain from calling me 'boy'." I answered.

She ignored me. "That mountain is the home of the gorons, where the stone of fire lies."

"I see. Thank you."

"Good luck."

I heard another crack, the woman dissappearing behind me.

"..." I stared. "I never got how people did that..."

"Hey Kratos!" Navi chirped. "What would Saria think if we told her we were going to save Hyrule?"

"...Navi. Can I ask you something?"

"Huh? Sure! What?"

"Saria, is it?" I paused, how to ask this... "...What color is her hair?"

"Huh? Green. I mean, brown- Wait..."

"What-?" I gaped at her. "Why did you just change your mind?"

"Uhm...Uhm..." Navi whirled around. "Who again?"

"Saria."

"Saria...?" Navi turned blue. "Who's that?"

"What do you mean who's that?" I snapped. "The girl who gave me this ocarina!"

"Oh! You mean Anna!"

I stared at her with my mouth hanging open like a complete idiot.

"What the hell do you mean 'ANNA'?" I snapped. "You just called her Saria!"

"...Did you hit your head, Kratos?" Navi asked.

I groaned, slapping myself in the face. What the hell was going on...?

"Are you going to go see her or not?" Navi asked.

"..." I looked around. "Which way is it?"

------------------------------------------------------------------

"You're back!" said a random Kokiri. "Wow! You didn't die!"

"...Thank you?" I tilted my head to the side. "Where's A- Saria?"

"Saria? Who's that?"

"I think he means Anna." Navi said to the boy. "He's being all funny again."

"Shut up you little insect." I snarled.

"Oh! Anna? Anna's in her usual place."

"And where's that?" I asked.

"Mido should know." he said. "He kinda stalks her..."

I twitched.

"...Thank you." I said cooly, walking toward Mido's house.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Navi shouted, flying after me.

I found the ignoramus in his house on a stand of some sort. I suppose it makes him

feel...important, like when Mithos built his own castle. ...Spoiled brat.

"You! What do you want?" he snapped.

"I-"

"He's looking for Anna!" Navi interrupted. "You seen her?"

"Well duh! She's up in the lost forest! ANYONE knows that, now BUZZ OFF!"

"Thank you!" Navi chirped, then flew out the door.

"Wait- What-? Navi! Come back here you little insect!" I shouted, running after her.

I followed the little light speck up onto a cliff, there was an entrance there...

I walked in and the first thing I was aware of was music, an odd tune...

"C'mon, Kratos!" Navi chirped. "We gotta get going!"

"..."

That song... it was strange... I found myself following the tune deep into the woods. That's when-

"Hoo hoo!"

"For the love of mana!" I shouted. "Are you a stalker or something?"

"Hoo hoo! You hear that tune? Follow the music and you'll find Anna!"

"...You know what's going on here, don't you?" I asked.

"Hoo hoo! And what might that be? Hoo!"

"Don't play dumb with me you feather-duster!" I snapped. "You knew about Anna before they" I

gestured to Navi. "Started calling her that! What are you trying to pull?"

"Hoo hoo!" the owl laughed. "You want answers? Follow your journey! Hoo hoo!"

The behemoth of a bird flew off, and for the first time in four-thousand and eighteen years...

"ARGH! YOU STUPID FEATHERBRAINED FREAK! COME BACK HERE!"

I threw a tantrum.

**Lloyd: Whoah...dad threw a tantrum...?**

**Genis: Maybe he DID hit his head...**

**Cheresea: Yeah... he's acting like a little kid...**

**  
Genis: Hey... What if he's actually starting to BEHAVE like a ten-year-old too...?**

**Me: ...Maybe...**

**Lloyd and Cheresea: AW SWEET! I'VE GOTTA SEE THIS!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four, cool.**

**Cheresea: I like chocolate.**

**Lloyd: Whoah, that was random.**

**Cheresea: Not really, I just took the snickers bar out of your pocket.**

**Lloyd: WHAT? You-! You're grounded!  
**

**Genis: Sheesh Lloyd, even though she is your kid you're only seventeen right now...**

**Lloyd: AHHH! I'm OLD!  
**

**Cheresea: That's right, now be good and go get me a glass of milk.**

**Lloyd: Why I oughta-!  
**

**Cheresea: Bring it on old man!  
**

**(Cheresea and Lloyd fight)**

**Me: Sigh... I own nothing.**

"FEATHERBRAIN!" I shouted, kicking a tree trunk.

That was very, very stupid of me.

"Ah-! God dammit!" I hopped on my other foot.

"Wow Kratos, I've never seen you do THAT!"

I froze. Wait...a...minute... Since when do I-? Did I just kick a tree? What the hell?

"Oh shut up, Navi." I growled. "Let's just find...Anna."

"Right-o!"

I followed the song deep into the woods, that's when I found a gate.

And...a wolfos.

"EEK!" Navi shrieked, flying to a safe distance.

I drew my sword and then realized...why couldn't I just fly over it?

I sighed, unfurling my wings and simply went over the gate. The wolfos threw a fit of course. I

flew until I found a narrow stairway, which was crawling with deku scrubs. I landed and simply ran

past them, not worth my time at all. That's when I found myself in a meadow of some sort, a decripted

old building stood overhead, and below it sat...

"..." I paled. "Anna?"

She looked up from her ocarina and stared at me with her big brown eyes.

"...Kratos?" she whispered.

She stood up, we stared at each other for a few moments...

"Kratos!"

She ran up to me and threw her arms around my shoulders, I was practically paralyzed.

"It is you! I knew it!" she cried.

"Anna...?" I whispered.

"Yes!" she released me, taking my hand. "Yes Kratos it's me! Anna! You know, Sylvarant? Luin?"

"Whoah, what are they TALKING about?" Navi asked the other fairy.

"Sylva..." I gaped at Anna, unable to believe it.

"You...you do know about Sylvarant, right?" Anna's face fell.

I slowly nodded. "Yes...Yes I do. I just- You-? How-?"

She grinned, that idiot grin she gave Lloyd.

"Who cares? I remember you now!"

Remember...?

"What do you mean by that...?" I asked.

"Well..." Anna bit her lip. "It's...it's like I was dreaming, for a long time. Like I was dreaming I

was somebody else, and then a little while after you came... it's like I woke up."

"What the HECK are you two talking about?" Navi gaped.

"...Navi, could you please not eavesdrop? For once?" I asked.

"Well FIIIIINE! I'll just go fly over there!"

The light-speck flew off, red.

"A dream?" I asked. "...Wait, in your dream or whatnot, was I always here?"

"Uh..." she bit her lip. "No. There was this blonde guy...his name was...Link."

I flinched. For some reason it felt like I knew that name...

"But who cares?" Anna said again. "All that matters is that we're together again!"

We leaned toward each other, our eyes closed and we were about to kiss-

"Together?" Navi laughed. "Sorry Anna, but Kratos has to go save Hyrule-"

I glared at her.

"Woops!"

"Save Hyrule-?" Anna blinked. "Wait a minute! You're going to save ANOTHER world?"

"Another?" Navi turned white. "You kids are both nuts!"

"Shut UP, Navi!" me and Anna snapped.

"Sheesh..."

"Kratos, WHY do you have to save-? I mean..." Anna sighed.

"...Do you want me to stay with you?"

"No. I mean yes, I mean-" she groaned. "Look, I want to be with you, but... there are a lot of people in

Hyrule too, and...I don't want anyone to get hurt..."

I smiled, that was Anna, treasuring all life as if it were her own.

"Then I'll save it." I told her. "I'll save it for you."

She smiled at me.

"But..." her face fell. "What about afterword?"

"Well..."

"Where were you before here?" she asked.

"Derris-Kharlan. About a million lightyears from Symph- Sylvarant."

"What-? What were you doing there?" she snapped. "Why weren't-?"

"Long story." I sighed. "Regardless, I'll stay here as long as I can."

"What? You saying you can't be here forever?"

"...Well..." I smirked. "One thing's for sure, I don't want to go back to Derris-Kharlan."

"Hee." she giggled. "...What about...do you know what happened to Lloy-?"

"He's fine." I smiled. "And...a great person. But I'll have to tell you about that later."

"You're both CRAZY!" Navi shouted. "CRAZY! What the HECK are you two talking abou-?"

I swatted her out of the air.

"AAH! YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

"Well...I've got to go." I told Anna, still holding her hand.

"Oh! Wait!" Anna took out her ocarina. "Try to learn this song..."

She blew a few fast notes, the lively melody I had been hearing for hours. I copied her.

"Great!" Anna grinned. "See, what's cool about it is you can talk to me anytime with that song!"

"Really?" I blinked. "That's...actually very...cool."

She went buggeyed. "Did you just say 'cool'?????"

I blushed bright red. "Uh..."

"You're BLUSHING?"

I kissed her cheek and then ran off. "I'vegottagoloveyabye!"

------------------------------------------------------------

Navi...shut up...

"You kissed her!" she said for the fiftieth time. "I never knew you liked her like THAT!"

"Shut up." I said, keeping my eyes on the path to the mountain Impa told me about.

"I can't BELIEVE it!"

I groaned, "Shut UP!"

"I was just SAYING-"

That did it. I took out the ocarina and hastily played Anna's song.

"Wow." came her voice. "That was fast."

"Anna, HOW do you get these fairys to SHUT UP?"

I heard a snicker.

"What? What's so funny?"

Anna burst out laughing. "My God! You sound like a shrimpy little kid! I mean, whoah! Hah!"

I turned red.

"Well you sound like a child too, so I wouldn't be talking."

"It's different, because I had a high-pitched voice to begin with!"

"..."

"I mean, it was Mister Oh-so-cool-deep-voice and now you sound like a little girl!"

I am going to kill her. ...Again.

"Yeah yeah Anna." I sighed. "By the way, if you see that 'Mido' idiot near you-"

"Beat him up already." she interrupted. "He was following me again."

I twitched. That does it, the bastard is DYING for this!

"Uh...Kratos?" Navi 'dingle'd.

"What is it-?"

"STAL-CHILD!"

I whirled around, several skeletons were clambering toward me.

"You've got to be joking..." I muttered. "JUDGMENT!"

I blasted several of them to charcol. The remaining looked at them, then me,

"YEEEEKKK!"

Then ran in the opposite direction.

"Kratos? You still there?" Anna called.

"Yes. However, I better go."

"Oh...All right. Love you! Kisses!"

I blushed bright red as Navi stammered at what she had just said.

"What?" I snapped.

"You two are acting like you've done this for YEARS!"

If only she knew... At any rate, we finally made it to the village, Kakiriko? Strange name.

"Oh dear! Oh dear!"

I turned the corner to see a woman, fretting into her hands.

"Anything wrong miss?" I asked.

Anna was right... I sound like...like Genis, or even worse, Mithos!

"Oh! My cuccos have run away!" she cried. "I can't find them."

"Not my problem." I said, walking away.

"Oh PLLLEEEEEAAAASEE!" she begged.

Damn to hell whatever it is that gave women the 'puppy face'.

"Chickens...were are those chickens?" I muttered, looking around.

Aha! There was one over there! I grabbed the chicken from behind-

"CCCCCOOOCCKKLEEEEEDUUUUUUUU!!!"

What the-? Why did it just crow like that-?

"Kratos! Look out! Hitchkock!"

Hitchkock-?

"What are you-? OH MY G-!"

I ran in the for the closest house, an entire FLOCK of chickens were chasing me, pecking my head.

"ARGH!" I shouted as they pecked my face.

I practically charged through the door, turned, and slammed it.

"Whoah! That was close!" Navi yelped.

"Those...birds...are...evil..." I managed to say between breaths.

After waiting for the evil poultry hoard to ebb, I finally found the path to the mountian.

"HAHAHAH! Yeah! Mister Hero huh? WOO that's a laugh!"

WHY must every guard I meet be such a-?

"I have a letter." I snapped, shoving him the letter I recieved from the princess.

That's when I had my third heart attack of the day.

" 'Under my orders to save Hyrule'?" the man laughed. "Man, what kind of game is Princess Mae-?"

"What?" I snapped. "What did you just call her?"

"Huh? I just called her Princess Mae. That IS her name."

"Yeah." Navi told me. "You really are weird lately, Kratos."

"Well anyway kid, sorry but you'll need a better shield. They sell them in the Castle Town."

"...Thank you."

I turned away and headed for the Castle Town, perhaps I should pay 'Zelda' a visit as well...

**Cheresea: Grampa's really having a confusing time, huh?**

**Me: Yep.**

**Lloyd: You like doing that, don't you?**

**Me: You bet! MWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!  
**

**Genis: Oh great, another psycho...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five! **

**Cheresea: Shouldn't you be updating my story?  
**

**Me: Uh...**

**Lloyd: Shouldn't you be writing 'ToS Bloopers'?  
**

**Me: Well...**

**Genis: Shouldn't your lazy ass be finishing the latest chapter of 'Role Reversal'?  
**

**Me: Okay that's it, all of you shut up!  
**

**Cheresea: Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

I snuck back into the castle with ease, and found myself back in the courtyard.

"..."

Ze- Ma- the princess, was looking in the window like always. I walked up to her and tapped her.

"Hm?" she turned around. "Kratos?"

"..."

"..." she bit her lip. "...I...hey, have you ever heard of Tethe'alla?"

My blood ran cold.

"...Yes. I have." I stated simply.

"Oh..." she muttered. "So...it wasn't a dream..."

She looked around the courtyard, face furrowed in a concerned expression.

"We weren't...always here, were we?" she muttered.

"..." I sighed. "No."

Navi 'dingle'd. "Huh? What-? Did I miss something? What's going on? Weren't always where?"

"Navi, why don't you go fly around somewhere?" I asked.

"Kratos..." Mae turned to look at me. "Did...you have a friend named, Yuan?"

Just like Anna...she was remembering...

"Y-yes." I stammered.

"So it's true!" Mae gasped. "So... you're- you're my-! You went to the Kharlan war and..."

"HUH?!" Navi yelped. "What's a Kharlan? What're you talking about?"

"Fine!" I snapped. "Navi, this is my sister! Are you happy?!"

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" the fairy shouted. "Oh my g-! So you're like, a prince!"

"So?" I stated cooly. "If you're going to 'spaz' again, go elsewhere-"

I was cut off at my second hug of the day. Which is double what I've had in four-thousand

years. Anna was the only one who ever hugged me. Mae was hugging me, crying.

"Brother!" she wailed. "It's you! It really is you!"

"..." I slowly wrapped my arms around her as well. "Yeah, it's me."

My little sister...it had been...so long...

Mae cried into my shoulder. "I thought...I thought..."

"It's all right, Mae." I patted her back. "Now stop crying, please, you know how-"

"Emotions bother you?" she cut in.

"...Yes." I finished.

Mae sniffed, releasing me and wiping her eyes. "Okay...So...why'd you come back anyway?"

"Well...Let's just say I had a feeling you'd remember me." I smirked.

"Oh...Anyway...have you found the second stone yet?" she asked.

"Unfortunately not." I muttered. "All your guards seem to think I'm a joke..."

"Didn't he say you needed a Hylian Shield?" Navi asked.

I snapped my fingers. "Curses! I knew I was forgetting something!"

"Hylian Shield?" Mae frowned. "Those cost a bundle...here, take this."

Mae handed me a purse which was practically bulging with ruppees.

"Mae, I can't-"

"You can buy them in town." she snapped. "Just take it, you can repay me by saving Hyrule."

"..." I smiled. "Right. Thank you."

"Uhm...Kratos? Can I ask you something?" Mae bit her lip.

"Anything."

"Do you know what's going on? Because...everything's so weird..."

"Tell me about it." Navi griped.

"..." I shook my head. "I don't. But I'll find out, I promise."

"...Right." she smiled. "Take care, big brother..."

I smiled before turning to the exit, there was a shop in town, hm? I got back into town just as the sun

was setting, I located the shop easily...

"Welcome." the man said in a gruff voice. "What would you like?"

"The Hylian Shield, please." I answered.

"For you? Ain't you a little small?" he asked.

"Does it really matter to you as long as you get paid?" I countered.

"Well...Oh, just take it. That'll be eighty ruppees."

Mae wasn't kidding when she said it would cost a bundle...

I left the shop, and that's when Navi...

"Wow! It's dark, Kratos! Maybe you should stay at the inn for the night."

"I don't need to sl-"

That's when something happened to me that hasn't happened in CENTURIES, I yawned.

"Hah!" Navi jeered. "Like I said, get some sleep. To the inn!"

I was TIRED? Well...I guess it's to be expected, after all...as much as I hate to admit it, I've been

becoming more like a child by the hour...

"Fine." I sighed. "I'll go to the inn, but we're leaving first thing in the morning."

I walked into the inn and paid the woman at the desk. Wondering what was going on...

"Well!" Navi dingled. "It's been a long, tiring, and REALLY confusing day! Time to sleep!"

Confusing...she wasn't half as confused as I was...

--------------------------------------------------

So...this is the goron city...

"YAH! WATCH OUT! GIANT GORON!"

"WHOAH!"

I leapt to the side just as a garguntuan goron blasted past me. This city was crazy! After alot of stairs, I

finally found the head-goron's room. Time to play that lullaby...

"It worked..." I stared as the door slid open.

I walked in to find a very menacing goron, which was odd, seeing as most of them look like they have

the I.Q. and sarcasm of...well, Colette.

"You?" the goron growled. "I thought the Royal family's messenger had come! It's just a kid!"

I am getting VERY annoyed with that 'kid' comment...

"Man," he griped. "I wish I had something to soothe my mood...like a song...something...green."

Oh, that song? I got out the ocarina and played Anna's song-

"Oh my g-!" I gasped.

The goron was dancing around, badly. He was dancing like Lloyd on a sugar-rush. Do you know how

HORRIFYING that is-?

"WOOOO!" the goron yelled. "Shake it! Woo! HOT! OH YEAH!"

Oh dear sweet g-

"WOO! I feel SO much better! Thanks kid!"

And that's when I found out about the gorons predicament. Apparently, Ganondorf had sealed the

cave entrance to their food source. And of course...

"Kratos will help you!" Navi chirped.

"In exchange for the spiritual stone." I added. "Do we have a deal?"

---------------------------

"I HATE THIS PLACE!"

"Well, maybe if you stopped falling toward the lava-"

"THAT DUDONGO PUSHED ME!" I retaliated. "Insolent lizards..."

The...cave was...difficult. I especially found the 'keese' annoying, swooping in as soon as I looked

away. What was WRONG with me? Normally these pathetic creatures would be running from me...

I blame pre-pubescense.

"Hm...looks like these could be stairs." Navi said, looking at the column before us.

"...All right, help me find a bomb plant-"

"Over there!"

I hate it when she does that. All right, lift the bomb plant and throw it...there!

"WATCH OUT!"

Navi didn't have to tell me twice, I leapt backwards out of harms way as the column blew.

"All right." I smirked. "Let's move on."

That's when I encountered yet more lizards, except these had swords. ...Odd.

"GUARD AND THEN HIT THEM!" Navi yelped.

"I KNOW, I know how to use a sword, Navi!"

No need to tell her I helped develop sword skills in the first place.

"Yeeaaarikkk!" a lizard shrieked, charging at me.

A jumped over him and slashed from behind, he fell, leaving his partner to face me.

"Well?" I snorted.

"YEEAARIKKKSH!"

In the next minute, the lizard was in pieces.

"That's more like it. Let's go, Navi."

"WOW! That was cool!"

"I know." I smirked.

After yet more wandering around, I made it to a room with a faded floor. So...

BOOOM!

I blew it up.

"A hole..." I muttered, looking down it.

"Go in! Jump!"

I unfurled my wings. "Right, and after that I'll donate my arm to a deku scrub."

"Oh...yeah, the wings work too." Navi turned pink.

I sighed, leaping into the hole and descending down into an area with a large magma pit.

"Hey...Do you hear that?" Navi turned white, whirling around.

"..."

There was a loud rumbling sound, coming from the lava...

**Me: Here comes the king dudongo! MWHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Cheresea: Oh yeah, she would aslo like to say that she knows everyone is confused with the **

**plot and all. She just wants you to know everything will be explained soon, do don't worry.**

**Genis: Even though Freaky loves confusing people and all.**

**Me: It's my favorite past-time! No one ever knows what I'm going to do next!**

**Lloyd: I'll say. Remember that time in science class you-?**

**Me: (Covers Lloyd's mouth.) THEY DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT! **

**Cheresea: She would also like to say the updates on her stories will be slow for the next couple **

**weeks because she'll be putting up like three Christmas stories.**

**Me: They didn't need to know that either!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiya! Chapter six!**

**Cheresea: Hey, this game is cool.**

**Genis: What game?  
**

**Cheresea: The one I found on Freaky's shelf. Tales of Symphonia.**

**Genis and Lloyd: HUH?! There's a game of us?!**

**Me: Yep.**

**Cheresea: Lloyd, are you really that much of a dumbass to not know the multiplication table?**

**Lloyd: I KNOW IT!  
**

**Me: Whats five times nine?  
**

**Lloyd:...Uh...**

**Genis: Freakyanimegal owns nothing!  
**

"YIPE! KRATOS! DO YOU HEAR THAT?!"

A rumbling sound coming from the magma, of course I hear it.

"There's something in there-"

With a huge lurch in the ground I found myself being knocked off my feet, a giant...lizard...

"IT'S THE KING DODONGO!"

The behemoth of a lizard roared right in my face. One, now THIS was a monster, why didn't we have

this creature guard the fire seal? And two...what on EARTH did it eat?! Smells like Yuan's underwear.

"MOVE!" Navi shouted.

The lizard began rolling at me.

"Whoah!"

I leapt into the air, my wings flapping maniacally.

"Let's see...armored...large..." I said. "Hm...I'll have to take it from the inside."

"You're going to let it eat you?!" Navi yelped.

"...How stupid do you think I am?" I took out a bomb. "Let's go."

I swooped down, the Dodongo roared at me again. I waited till the 'wind' died and threw the bomb.

"CATCH, LIZARD BREATH!"

'Lizard breath'?! That settled it. I was slowly losing all sanity. The beast swallowed...

BOOM!

And then fell onto the ground.

"Excellent." I smirked. "A couple more times should do it."

And, of course, it did.

"WEEE! YOU DID IT, KRATOS!" Navi chirped.

I smiled. "Thanks, Navi."

"YOU JUST SMILED!!!!" Navi shrieked.

Oh Goddess...I did...did I just do something 'sweet'? Oh dear Lord...I'm losing it...

I stepped into the blue light, and then appeared in front of the cage. That's when...

BOOM!

"YOU DID IT!"

Darunia beat his chest. "I knew you would! For your courage, I grant you the stone!"

With a red light, the goron ruby descended into my hands.

"Thank you-"

He patted me on the back, thus...knocking me down.

"Ugh!"

"You've done well! You are now are sworn brother! Come, let's great our brother!"

Two more gorons fell down behind me, advancing with open arms.

"Come brother! Give us a hug!"

Oh...god...

I ran up the mountian, two more landing.

"HUG!" they chorused.

"YAAAAAAHHHH!!" I screamed, running for my life.

"Oh, by the way! The fairy on top of the mountain can help you! Just thought you should know!"

CURSE those rock eating baby-faced gorillas!

I flew off, my heart racing. "Whew..."

"Well? Go to the mountain top!"

"Must I?" I sighed.

"Well come on! The mountian fairy will REALLY help!"

I sighed, and a few minutes later I found myself in the Great Fariy's fountain...

Then, with an unearthly annoying laugh I saw what could have been Pronyma's mother.

"Oh oh oh!" she laughed. "YOU must be Kratos! Rarau was very specific about you!"

"Origin?" I blurted.

"Origin? Huh, that's weird. Oh, by the way, if you want to be able to use any of those fancy techniques

with your sword, you're gonna need my help."

"And how would you know anything about that?" I snapped.

"KRATOS!" Navi yelped. "That is SO rude!"

"Looky, I chant a spell, you get magic with the sword, got it?" the 'great' fairy snapped.

I nodded, still skeptical.

"Well, here you go!"

I felt my feet leaving the floor, and then I was placed back down, I felt a little stronger...

"There! I healed you, too. Aren't I wonderful?"

"...Thank you." I said simply.

"Don't mention it! By the way, my sister's by the castle, she'll help too!"

With the same DEMONIC laugh, the sl- person, dissappeared. Then of course...

"Wow, it's getting dark! Maybe you should stay in town the night!"

"For the last time, I don't need to sle-"

I yawned again.

"Then what was that?"

"..." I rubbed my eyes. "...Fine. Let's go."

What was happening to me? Getting tired...bad insults...smiling? I sighed. Perhaps I'd better just give

up, it seems I'm losing all the maturity I have. I had the urge to chase a dog earlier. Let's face it.

"HOO!"

"Ah!" I yelped, leaping backwards.

"Hoo! HOO!" the owl hooted. "It seems you've grown since we've last met!"

"It's only been two days." I muttered.

"Hoo HOO! That little body must be affecting your mind by now, musn't it?"

"..."

"Huh?" Navi dingled. "What does that mean?"

"What do you know about that?!" I snapped at the bird.

"Hoo HOO! I know a lot! Much much much! Don't you, Seraph Kratos Aurion?"

I flinched. "That's it! What are you?! How do you know Origin?! What is going ON?!"

"Hoo HOO!" the bird taunted. "When the time is right, Link."

"What?" I shook my head. "Why did you just call me-? You know who I am, so why-?"

I felt a blow to the head, then everything faded away.

----------------

I woke up with a groan, sitting up and putting a hand to my throbbing head.

"What hit me...?"

"You're up!" a voice chirped.

I opened my eyes to find the red-head girl, Malon, smiling at me.

"That bird dropped you right on a haystack! You okay?"

Bird...? CURSE THAT DAMN OWL!

"Where am I...?"

"You're at Lon-lon Ranch!" Malon grinned, "This is my house, you were out for a while!"

"...Thank you, for taking care of me." I said.

"Oh KRATOS!" Navi wailed. "I was so WORRIED!"

I sighed as the fairy cried like a baby, leaning on my shoulder.

"How long have I been 'out'?" I asked Malon.

"About three days!"

I practically jumped, "THREE DAYS?!"

"Yep! Dad's really mad! He says you've been 'taking up space' for too long!"

I groaned, that was the last thing I needed. And, of course, I was right. Due to a series of events

dealing with the man I had dubbed 'Chicken man', I ended up having to tend animals for a day.

"C'mon! It's not that bad!" Malon chirped. "Look! Whistling helps make it funner!"

The girl proceeded to sing a few notes, an animal ran up to her.

"A horse?!" I gasped.

"Huh? Well of course silly! Haven't you ever seen one?"

Of course I had, but they'd been extinct on Symphonia for two-thousand years...

"Uh...Yeah, it just suprised me." I lied.

"Isn't that cool?" Malon grinned. "I sing the song, and she comes to me!"

"Song..." I whispered.

I took out the ocarina.

"OH! An ocarina! Do you want to play the song?" Malon asked.

In the next minute, I learned Epona's song. Then...

The damn horse will not stop following me!!!

"Go away!" I snapped.

The horse just whinnied and followed after me.

"COKKLEDOOODLEDDUUUUUUU!!!"

"YAH!" I flinched, shielding myself with my arms. (Which is pretty stupid, considering I had a shield.)

"Huh? What're you doing?" Malon blinked. "The cucco's are just crowing."

I shuddered. "The last time I heard that..."

"DAMN THESE VARMINTS!"

The three of us turned toward the barn, where a man was swearing.

"Mr. Ingo! Please calm down!" Malon cried.

"CALM DOWN MY TAILFEATHERS! I should be in charge! Not that lazy Talon!"

Wait...where have I heard this before?

_I should be in charge of the Grand Cardinals! Not Pronyma!  
_

KVAR?! Wait...no...calm down, there's no proof...however...

"Hey? Kid, why you staring at me?" the man growled.

"Uh...Let's go somewhere else, Kratos..." Malon said.

I walked away, but I gave a threat to 'Ingo' before doing so. "I'm watching you..."

By the way he said 'huh?!' I assumed I wouldn't have to worry. ...For a while.

After a hard days work, I found myself falling asleep in a haystack inside the barn, seeing as Malon's

father would no longer allow me inside the house. Miser. That's when I had a strange dream...

_There was a strange place, I was standing on what looked like a giant triforce symbol. There were _

_six platforms around me, on one stood an old man._

_"Who are you?" I asked._

_The man dissappeared, and behind me I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned._

_"Lloyd-?"_

_He dissappeared, then the old man appeared again._

_**Not for ever, but for a while, we can bring him here. If you want.**_

_"..."_

I gave my answer, then my eyes snapped open.

"Whoah," Navi chirped. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"..."

"Hey...what's that over there?" Navi flew a bit to the right.

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

In one of the most bizarre things I've seen in my extended life, there was a fairy. A little red fairy which

was screaming like a little girl, see, the barn's cat decided it looked like something to eat.

"What the-?" I blinked.

"AAAHHHHHH! SAVEEEEE MEEEEEE!!!!!" the fairy shouted, avoiding the cat's paws.

"Hey!" I leapt to my feet, "Leave him alone!"

The cat stopped, then looked at me with it's arrogant eyes.

"HEEEELELLLPPP!!!"

The fairy zoomed past the cat and shot right under the green hat I wore.

"Mrow." the cat sneezed, then daintily jumped out the window.

"..."

I reached under my hat and gently pulled the fairy out by the wings, it was trembling.

"S-so...s-scary..." it repeated. "S-so...scary..."

"...Are you okay?" I asked.

The fairy jerked, "HEY! LEMME GO! It's REALLY uncomfortable being held like this!"

"Sorry," I said, releasing the fairy. "What are you doing so far from the forest?"

"Forest? What forest?" the fairy dingled. "And why are you so big? What's with the outfit?"

"My name is Kratos," I told him. "And you are?"

"KRATOS?!" the fairy jerked. "HOLY SHI-! It worked! Hah! Take THAT, Genis!"

"Genis?" I went wide-eyed.

"Yep! See, he said 'No way! The eternal sword could NEVER get you to see Kratos' and I was like-"

"LLOYD?!"

"Yep!" the fairy dingled. "Didja miss me?"

I believe my mind snapped that instant.

"Hi! I'm Navi!" my fairy said. "You know Kratos?"

"Lloyd?" I snapped at (Bizarrely) my son. "What are you doing here?"

"Huh? Well duh, I came to see you! Can't stay too long though, only a day."

There was a silence.

"Hey, it's kind hard to tell now that I'm the size of a butterfly, but are you a kid?"

This is going to be a long twenty-four hours...

**Genis: HAH! Lloyd's a fairy! Lloooyyddd'sss a fair-y!**

**Lloyd: Hey!**

**Cheresea:...In only one sense of the word, right?  
**

**Lloyd: HEY!!!**

**Cheresea: Hey, I hope you're straight, or I won't exist.**

**Me: Well guys, I REALLY wanted Lloyd to make an entrace, but I didn't want him to be in **

**alot, because this is Kratos' story, so...he'll be here for only a little while.**

**Lloyd: Aw, why can't I stay longer?  
**

**Cheresea: Don't be a glory hog, you got a whole game about you.**

**Lloyd: T.T You're MEEEAAAANNN...are you sure you're my kid?  
**

**Cheresea: Unfortunately...and you never did answer me, what's five times nine?  
**

**Lloyd:...That's none of your concern.**

**Me: HEY! KRATOS-LINE-STEALER!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Cheresea: Hm...Axel, Dark, Leon...**

**Genis: Huh? What are you reading?**

**Cheresea: Riku, Sephiroth, Yondaime...**

**Lloyd: Huh?  
**

**Cheresea: Lloyd, Cloud, Kenshin, Kratos...**

**Me: AHHH!! STOP!**

**Cheresea: That's Freaky's top ten 'hotties' list, from least to greatest.**

**Lloyd and Genis: O.O**

**Cheresea: You think my dad AND my Grampa are HOT?**

**Me: I OWN NOTHING! START THE CHAPTER! HURRY!**

"Aw come on," Lloyd moaned. "You act like you're not even happy to see me!"

"I AM." I said for the fifth time. "It's just that-"

"Kratos! Stop stalling! You've gotta get to the Castle and meet the other Great Fairy!"

"Navi. Shut. up." I growled.

"Wow, did you just say 'shut up'?" Lloyd gasped.

I sighed, they were both annoying me greatly.

"Did you?" Lloyd asked again.

"That's it." I spread my wings, "I'll meet you there."

I flew off as fast as my wings could carry me, leaving them both in the dust.

"HEY!" I heard them shout.

In a minute's time, I landed before the town, I strode in to the market and decided to wait for them.

"HEY!" Lloyd shouted as he got closer. "That was REALLY immature!"

"So?"

"...THAT IS SO FREAKING AWESOME!" he shouted. "Why didn't you do stuff like this before?!"

"So...tired..." Navi puffed, flying slowly. "Wings...aching..."

The light speck fell, I caught her in my palm and held her up to my face.

"You really are tired..." I muttered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to exhaust yourself."

I gently lifted Navi up and put her under my cap, where she usually went to rest.

"So...This is the Castle Town, right?" Lloyd asked, buzzing around. "Cool!"

"Yes...It is quite interesting, isn't it?" I mused, looking around.

"So...This place is called 'Hyrule' right?" Lloyd asked. "Two questions. What are you doing here and

why are you a kid? I mean..."

"..." I closed my eyes. "I don't know, I woke up a few days ago and..."

"Oh well...what're you doing here?" Lloyd asked. "I mean... you got those two sparkly stones."

"These?" I said, pulling out the two stones. "Yes, these are two of the three spiritual stones. I need to

collect all three of them to unlock the door to the triforce."

"Triforce?"

"It's kind of like the Tree to Symphonia." I said. "It's Hyrule's supreme force."

"Why you trying to get to the Triforce?"

"Heh." I smirked. "Why else? I'm helping to save the world."

"Again?"

"Again."

"Kewl." Lloyd dingled. "So...what's with the clothes?"

"I could've asked you that the moment we met." I smirked.

"HEY!"

"Come on," I said. "We need to find this 'Great' fairy..."

"That sounds kinky."

I slammed him out of the air. "Lloyd!"

"Hey! Sorry! I was just..."

"COCKLEDOODLDU!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

You'd think I'd at LEAST have the dignity to not do that in front of my son...

"Huh-? Dad-? Hey wait! It's just a chicken- HOLY SHIT! THESE BIRDS ARE CRAZY!"

It must have been quite a sight, a green-clad boy and a red fairy running from chickens.

After escaping the evil poultry, we found a large rock...

BOOM!

No more rock.

"WOW! When'd you get BOMBS?" Lloyd asked.

"A few days ago." I said, "Now, to get through this hole..."

After squeazing through the crawlspace, I found myself at the fountain.

"Oooo!" Lloyd whirled around. "Fancy!"

I took out the ocarina and played the lullaby, and then...

"AHAHAHAHAHAHHEHEEHEHEH!"

ANOTHER demented freak appeared.

"YAH!" Lloyd screamed. "It's Kilia's sister!"

"Hello guests!" the sl- fairy, smiled. "I grant you my aid!"

"She means 'aid' and not 'aids' right?" Lloyd asked.

"Lloyd..." I growled. "Be quiet..."

The fairy snapped her fingers and a gem of some kind appeared.

"This will enhance your fire abilities." she smiled. "Ta ta!"

She gave the same hellish laugh, then dissappeard.

"...I'm officially scarred for life." Lloyd said.

"I thought you already scarred from finding out I was your father."

"Oh yeah, that too."

I sighed and headed back out into the castle entrance...

"HALT! INTRUDER!"

"Uh-oh!" Lloyd dingled.

"Damn!" I snapped.

There was a sudden movement, then a crack, a flashing light...

"Impa?" I gaped, looking at the 'nanny' before me.

"You should be more careful." she stated calmly. "I almost didn't get you out in time."

I was in the courtyard where I found Mae-

"Kratos!"

ANOTHER hug? I mean, really, this was getting out of hand...

"Maaaaaaaeeee!" I moaned, sounding like a child.

Wait...I am a child...

"Who?" Lloyd asked.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Mae grinned. "How's it going?"

"I have the second stone, for one."

"Huh? Hey, who IS that?" Lloyd asked me.

"Hm? Who are you?" Mae pointed.

"Give me you name and I'll- MMPH!"

I clasped my hands over Lloyd, muffling his voice.

"His name is Lloyd, and you'll have to excuse him, he's very rude."

"MMMPHH!"

"He's strange, isn't he?" Mae blinked. "Oh, at any rate...you'll find the third stone at Zora's domain."

"Where is that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Follow the river!" Mae smiled. "You'll get there easily."

I smirked. "You know it."

Lloyd burst free from my hands. "WOAH! WERE YOU JUST BEING COCKY?!"

"..." I sighed. "Lloyd, be quiet."

"So..." Impa eyed Lloyd. "You have two fairies?"

Lloyd's wings seemed to wilt. "Uh...Hi-i...scary lady..."

"No. He's just...tagging along, for the moment." I told the shiekah woman.

"I see..." Impa said.

"MOMMY!" Lloyd cried, flying under my hat for the second time.

I sighed, "Well, thanks for helping me, Impa, I'd better go..."

"Take care." Mae smiled, giving me another hug.

"...I will." I nodded, turning to leave.

After a few minutes, I was back in town. Lloyd had finally emerged from my hat along with Navi.

"Zora's domain, right?" Navi dingled. "Well! Let's get cracking!"

"Hey! Who says YOU get to boss him around?" Lloyd challenged.

"Because I'M his partner!" Navi snapped.

"While I'M his-...friend! Yeah!"

"Okay, let's calm down..." I said slowly.

"Fine, I don't want to fight with this nag anyway." Lloyd huffed.

"SAY THAT AGAIN!" Navi roared.

"THIS. NAG."

"THAT'S IT! IT'S ON!"

Navi darted at Lloyd, who shoved her back, the two fairies were in a limbless struggle.

"Okay, now you're both being silly." I snapped. "STOP."

"MAKE US SHORTIE!" Navi shouted.

That did it.

"All right! You're going in the jar!" I snapped.

"Jar? What jar?" Navi blinked.

"The one the chicken man gave me for working." I said.

"Chicken man?" Lloyd dingled.

I ignored him and scooped Navi into the jar.

"HEY! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! LET ME GO!" she cried.

"HAH HAH!" Lloyd laughed. "You're in the jaaaar! You're in the jjaaaaarr!"

"Keep singing and you're in it too." I snapped.

Lloyd shut up.

"Now...let's get going."

We proceeded to the river, in which we found an unusual...frog...

"Ribbit! Play a song! Ribbit!"

"WHOAH!" Lloyd dingled. "Talking frogs! Awesome!"

"A song?" Navi 'plink'ed inside the bottle.

"London bridge is falling down! Falling down!" Lloyd sang.

"Lloyd?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Okay."

"Ribbit! Play a song! Ribbit!"

I sighed, "All right..."

I took out the ocarina and played 'Epona's song'.

"Ribbit! Ribbit! More! More!"

"Why do they like music so much?" Lloyd dingled.

"Hell if I know." I shrugged.

I played Mae's Lullaby as well.

"Ribbit! Thank you! Ribbit!"

Then the frogs leapt into the water, leaving me feeling somewhat...confused. But I dismissed it.

"Those songs are catchy." Lloyd said, flying after me.

"They are unusual."

"Got any others?"

I froze. Of course...Anna's song...Lloyd could to talk to his mother... I reached for the ocarina-

_**Don't.**_

****"..." I paled.

_**It's best if he doesn't know about her, for now.**_

"...Lloyd." I stated. "Do you know if Origin is nearby?"

"Huh?" Lloyd dingled. "Well...hm...huh, that's weird."

"What's weird?"

"He's...here, but...he's kinda not. It's kinda hard to explain really..."

"...Let's get moving-"

COCKLEDUDLLEDOO!

"NOT THOSE DAMN BIRDS AGAIN!" I shouted, running as fast as I could.

"WHAT KIND OF WORLD CAN CHICKENS KILL YOU IN!?" Lloyd shouted.

"Well..." I huffed as I ran. "We've fought...rabbits and...penguins..."

"Well YEAH but come ON! CHICKENS?!"

After outrunning the second chicken attack of the day, we finally made it to...a waterfall.

"...There's nothing here..." Lloyd said, looking around.

"Hey!" Navi called, her voice penetrating the glass. "Play the lullaby!"

"Right." I nodded, taking out the ocarina.

A few notes later, the waterfall...stopped. It just...stopped.

"Whoah! Cool!" Lloyd chirped.

"Let's go!" I said, jumping across to the entrance.

"Heeeeyyyy..." Lloyd dingled. "That's...totally not like you!"

I grinned. "Your point?"

"...Okay, you're really starting to freak me out." Lloyd's color faded.

"Aw come on!" I grinned. "Don't be a stiff!"

Later, when I was in the right mind, I would be shocked from my behavior. However, 'right

mind' would not returnd to me for some time after...

"..." Lloyd flew next to my forehead. "Do you have a fever?"

"What-? No!"

"Concussion? Lacteration? Amnesia? Psychological disruption?"

Later, I would wonder how he knew these words.

"Hey, back off!" I snapped. "Stop acting like my dad!"

"Like your what-?" Lloyd gasped. "Okay! THAT'S it! You need bedrest!"

"You're not the boss of me!" I snarled.

"You. Need. REST!" Lloyd roared, "NOW DO WHAT I SAY!"

"Hah!" I smirked. "You've gotta catch me first!"

I ran into Zora Hall, barely missing one of the fish-folk.

"HEY!" it cried. "CRAZY KOKIRI!"

"WhooaoaaahahhHH!" Navi screamed, still in the jar.

"HEY!" I heard Lloyd roar. "GET BACK HERE!"

I grinned like a maniac, tearing down the path and...

"OOF!"

Running RIGHT into a Zora.

"Ow!" it backed up. "You need to watch where you're going!"

"OOoohh..." I rubbed my head. "Sorry..."

"THERE you are!" Lloyd shouted, catching up to me. "What are you trying to do?! Gimme a stroke?!"

"..." I gaped at him. "Lloyd...I'm...I'm sorry... I don't know what-"

"YOU'VE TOTALLY LOST IT!" he shouted. "I mean, come ON!"

"Hey!" I shouted. "I said I was sorry!- I mean..."

I covered my mouth, what was going ON with me...?

Lloyd calmed down. "Okay...look, you just need to calm down and-"

"I wonder what's in there?" I said, running into an entrance.

I remember him shouting 'HEY! YOU LITTLE SNOT! I WASN'T DONE TALKING!' But...

"OOOHHH!"

The shop was full of interesting things! They had these little heart statues an- ARGH! What is

WRONG with me?! Have I finally lost my sanity?!

"DARNIT!" Lloyd flew in after me. "Would you CALM down?!"

I remember hesitating, like I didn't know what was going on.

"...Hey...are you all right?" Lloyd asked, turning a lighter color.

"I...think so, now." I said, shaking my head. "I...don't know what happened to me..."

"Man...we've gotta get you home..." Lloyd said softly. "Okay, let's find the Zora king."

"Right." I nodded, still dazed.

"Ahem."

"Huh?"

"AHEM? CAN I GET OUT OF THE JAR NOW?!"

"Oh! Navi!" I blinked. "I'm sorry, I forgot you were in there! Hold on..."

I opened the bottle, the annoyed fairy flying out.

"THANK you! I was getting REALLy cramped!"

**Me: Ueh, that's enough for now.**

**Cheresea: OH! LEGEND OF ZELDA TWILIGHT PRINCESS! I WANT IT!  
**

**Me: You and me both...**

**Lloyd: Well, tough luck.**

**Cheresea: PPPLLLLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSEEEEEEE?**

**Lloyd: Darn it! I hate it when she does that!**

**Cheresea: Heheeheheheheh...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Me: Heheh, yep, Kratos is a kid. **

**  
Lloyd: He's BEEN a kid...**

**Genis: You idiot!  
**

**Cheresea: She MEANS that Grampa has become a child mentally as well as phsycially.**

**Lloyd: ...Huh?  
**

**Genis: LLOYD YOU IDIOT!  
**

**Me: Hey! Christmas is coming! NO BEING MEAN!**

**Genis: Y...yes ma'am...**

**Me: Good boy. Have a candycane.**

**Genis: SKLEE!**

**Cheresea: Hee hee. Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

**  
Lloyd: I wanna candycane...**

Nag nag nag. That's all they do. I mean, I AM trying to find the Zora princess, really, it's just that

this diving game is a lot of fun! I wonder what the prize is...

"Kratos!" Navi nagged. "Would you stop acting so immature and-?!"

"I'm not acting immature!" I snapped. "I'm just...giving in to my childish nature."

"Okay. Do you know how CREEPY this is?!" Lloyd snapped. "For me, especially?"

"Wow!" I laughed. "You know a three syllable word!"

Lloyd turned an even darker shade of red.

"WOULD YOU STOP BEING A BRAT AND-?!"

"Cool! I won the game!" I said as I got the last ruppee.

Lloyd and Navi both groaned, "He doesn't listen..."

I ran up to the waterfall and the zora gave me a scale.

"Huh?" I blinked. "What's this do?"

"You can dive deeper with that!" the fish-person smiled.

"AWESOME!" I grinned. "Thanks!"

"Don't mention it!"

Lloyd and Navi finally caught up to me.

"Look guys!" I waved. "I've got a scale!"

"WHO CARES?!" Lloyd roared.

"I care!" I whimpered. "It's cool!"

Lloyd groaned and then started ramming himself into the wall. Why'd he do that?

"Look, we NEED to find the princess!" Navi nagged.

"Ruto?" the zora blinked. "Well, sometimes she goes to lake Hylia. Go through that hole."

"Hole? Where?"

"It's in the pond. He should be able to reach it with the zora scale."

"HAH! See? I told you it'd come in handy!" I stuck my tounge out at Lloyd and Navi.

"Grr...YOU LITTLE PUNK!" Lloyd shouted, "Why are you being such a BRAT?!"

"Hmph." I snorted. "Fine. I don't need you! I'll go off by myself!"

"Huh-? Wait! I didn't say THAT-"

Too late! I leapt back into the water and dove down through the hole and into a lake.

"WOW!" I gasped. "Look at it! It's huge!"

I swam to shore and then ran up the hill to get a better veiw.

"WHOAH! Watch it there, kid!"

A TALKING SCARECROW? This place has everything!

"Sorry! I was just-"

"OH! Is that an ocarina?" it asked. "I LOOOOOOVVEE music! Play something! Play something!"

I shrugged and took out the ocarina, playing a quick tune.

"WWOOOOOWEEE! I LIKE THAT!" he danced around. "Thanks kid!"

"No problem!" I grinned. "Oh! That's right! Have you seen a little zora around here?"

"Hm? Nope. You could ask that one swimming down in the water though..."

I looked behind me and saw a zora swimming in the lake. How'd I miss that? Oh well! I ran back to the

lake and splashed into the water, then swam up to the zora.

"Excuse me...sir?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"Have you seen a zora girl around here somewhere?"

"Oh, you're looking for Ruto, too?" he said. "Beats me..."

I sighed, then noticed something shining at the bottom of the lake. Shiny always equals good!

Well...except in Magnius' ranch, then shiny might equal alarm and sneak-attack...Oh, who cares? I

dove down and grabbed the thing, which turned out to be a bottle, with a note...

"Hhheeeeeyyyy..." I blinked, coming to the surface.

"KRATOS! THERE YOU ARE!"

Lloyd and Navi flew up to me, plenty mad.

"Don't run off like that AGAIN!" Lloyd roared.

"Sheesh, you need to learn to lighten up." I rolled my eyes.

"ARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

Then Lloyd rammed into my head, as hard as he could. It hurt.

"OW! What was THAT for...?" I whimpered.

"LISTEN! STOP ACTING LIKE A BRAT AND FIND THE STUPID PRINCESS!"

"But look! I found a note from her! See?" I said, showing him the jar.

"OOOHHH!!" Navi dingled. "We've gotta get this thing to the king right away!"

"Oh...so you WERE looking..." Lloyd said. "Woops. Sorry..."

"It's okay." I smiled. "Now! To get this letter to Mr. Fat-fish!"

I heard a snicker.

"...Lloyd?" I asked.

The snickering got louder and he burst out laughing.

"AHAHAHAHH! Mister FAT FISH? THAT'S RICH! RICH!"

"You boys are all so disrespectful!" Navi scoffed.

After that, we went to Mr. Fat-Fish and he told me to go rescue Ruto. Told me. What am I? A

servant? First the TREE uses me, then the rock-eating gorilla, now a FISHSTICK?! This is demeaning!

...Wait...what does that word mean? Oh well. Anyway, we waited for the king to move...

"Got any fives?" Lloyd asked.

"Go fish." Navi said.

The fat-fish gasped.

"I mean...catch pig."

"Catch pig?" I laughed. "That's so stupid!"

"Yeah yeah, got any twos?" Lloyd asked.

"Hey..." I wondered. "Where'd we get these cards anyway?"

"Oh! That's easy, they were in your hat!" Lloyd dingled.

"What were they doing in my hat...?" I asked.

"Beats me."

"And how are you holding cards anyway? You're light specs!"

Navi and Lloyd were silent.

"...I dunno..." Navi said slowly.

"Creepy." Lloyd agreed.

We continued our game for about ten minutes, then I fell asleep from boredom. The fish-stick still

moving. That guy needs to go on a diet. And what's with the 'meep' sound...?

"KRATOS!"

"What?! What?! I'm up! Don't hurt me Mrs. Nelson! I didn't mean to fall asleep in class!"

Lloyd burst out laughing, I don't see how it's funny...

"Kratos, we can go now." Navi told me. "See? He moved."

"Well, about time!" I griped.

We went into the lake and saw a REALLY BIG FISHY. Lloyd looked at a sign.

" 'Lord Juba-Juba. Offer a fish.'"

"I don't have a fish..." I said.

"Yeah you do! Remember? Before the diving game?" Navi said.

I had a flashback.

_"AWESOME! FISHIES! HAHAH! FISHY FISHY!"_

_"D- KRATOS! KNOCK IT OFF!"_

_"But...I like fishy... OH! LOOK! I CAUGHT ONE! HAH HAH!"_

_"What did I do to deserve this...?"_

"Oohhhh yeaaaahh..." I said, taking out the jar.

Ten seconds later.

"EW!" I pouted. "I'm in WHALE saliva!"

"Whoah..." Lloyd flew around jerkily. "That was SOME entrance..."

We worked our way through the REALLY gross place, and eventually found a fish-girl.

I. Do. Not. Like. Her.

"Who are you?" she snapped.

"Uh, I'm Kratos, your dad sent me to save you-"

"SAVE me? I'm fine!" she scoffed. "Now, if you'll excuse me I- AAAAHHHHH!!!"

"She just fell down the hole!" Navi dingled

"Can we leave her there?" Lloyd asked.

"But then I won't get the stone..." I said.

"Damn. All right, go get the brat."

I dove in after her, landing on my feet, and faced her again.

"I told you I'm FINE." she snapped. "It's just...Juba-Juba is strange today..."

"So let me get you OUT of here and-"

"I'm not leaving without it!" she crossed her arms.

"Without what?" I asked.

"The thing I lost...I'm not leaving!"

"But-"

"If you're SO concerned, I'll give you the honor of carrying me!"

Then she sat down, what a little royal brat! I mean, my SISTER has more class than this junior fish-

stick! She actually expects me to CARRY her?

-------------

"Well, then I said that she said that he knew she knew that he set her up and I-"

"Shut. UP!" Lloyd shouted.

"EXCUSE me?!" Ruto snapped. "I was TALKING!"

"AND you're annoying!" I snapped. "I'm going to THROW you at the next monster I see if you-!"

"If I WHAT?!" the fish-girl growled. "WHAT?!"

"If you don't SHUT THE HELL UP!" I roared.

"Why I never! We ROYALS shouldn't have to deal with this kind of-!"

"Hey!" Navi said. "Kratos the Hylian prince! So shut up!"

"Prince?!" Lloyd dingled. "Whoah, did I miss something?"

"Remember Mae?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"My sister."

"...Whoah. Something really screwy is going on here..." Lloyd said.

"You're a PRINCE?!" Ruto asked me.

"I guess so..."

"I didn't know the Hylians had a prince!"

"Niether did they!" Navi laughed.

"Well...in that case, I'm honored to be in your presence!" Ruto smiled.

"You little brown-noser..." I muttered under my breath.

"Do tell me about your interests Prince Kratos." Ruto said.

"My interests include you shutting up." I snapped. "And maybe walking, you weigh alot."

"I WHAT?! WHY YOU-!"

"HAH HAH!" Lloyd laughed.

We went through one of those 'doors' and then fish-girl 'flipped' out.

"OH! THERE IT IS! THROW ME UP THERE!"

"Really?! YES!"

I threw her on top of the stand, maybe a little harder than I should've but...whatever.

"I've got it! My mother's-! AAAAHHH!"

"Whoah!"

"The stage is going up!!" Lloyd cried.

Then I saw a really big, REALLY ugly octopus thing, and it PUSHES me! JERK! I flew up into the air

and threw the boomerang I had found at it's back.

"It's not working!" Lloyd dingled.

"Try something else! Anything!" Navi yelped.

"Oh dang!" Lloyd groaned. "What beats water...? Oh yeah! Electricity!"

"THUNDER BLADE!"

ZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!

"Ew..." I wrinkled my nose. "Burnt seafood."

"WHOAH! How did you DO that?" Navi asked.

"Do what?" I blinked.

"I think she means the spell." Lloyd said.

"Oh that?" I shrugged. "Just something I can do. Now let's find fish-girl and leave!"

I flew up through the hole in the ceiling and we found the last door...

"I don't like this..." Lloyd quivered.

"LOOK OUT!" Navi shrieked.

We ducked out of the way just in time, a REALLY big...thing, had fallen down.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Lloyd shouted.

"I just know it's not friendly..." I paled.

**Cheresea: Sheesh, Ruto is such an annoying suck up. Reminds me of Abigal. **

**Genis: Abigal?  
**

**Cheresea: Person from my time period. Well...actually she was engaged to grampa four-**

**thousand years ago, then got frozen and melted in my time.**

**Lloyd: ENGAGED?!  
**

**Me: Yep.**

**Cheresea: Ruto is creepily like Abigal. I mean-...What's that look?  
**

**Me: What look?**

**Cheresea: Oh God...you're not going to...? Are you?**

**Me:heheheheheeheeh...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Cheresea: But seriously, you're not going to put Abigal in here, are you?  
**

**Genis: I don't know who that lady is, but she doesn't sound good...**

**Lloyd: The readers said they'd scream 'God save us!' if Abigal was in here.**

**Cheresea: (Sigh) Which means she'll...**

**Me: MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!**

**Genis: How'd you know she'd do that, Cheresea?  
**

**Cheresea: Easy! She loves to have fun, like me, but she also loves to torture, like Chala.**

**Genis and Lloyd: Who?  
**

**Cheresea: Long story. Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

"WATCH OUT!"

"AH!"

I dodged the giant...thing, and flew into the air.

"Man! That was a close one!" I paled.

"Kratos!" Navi said. "The underbelly is soft! Strike it there once the jellyfish move!"

The big parasite thing was really hard, first I had to kill the jellyfish, then destroy the tentacles.

"HA! It's helpless now!" Lloyd cried, I had just hacked the thing down.

"Bye-bye ugly!" I smirked. "THUNDER BLADE!"

In less than moments, the monster dissappeared, and then-

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Oh great, it's HER again...

"How long did you think you could keep me waiting?! I mean, really!"

In a moment, we were both outside again. Wait...where was-?

I turned to my left.

"AAAHHH!!"

Freaked out by the fish-girl staring at me, I lost my balance and fell into the water. Man it was cold!

"Hee hee!" Ruto jumped in.

She swam up to me, really close...OKAY! TOO CLOSE! GET AWAY!

"Wow, you're pretty brave..." she purred. "And cute, now that I think of it."

"OHMIMANA! ARE YOU HITTING ON ME?!" I gasped.

She laughed, "Maybe..."

Her eyes-! They changed-! They were bright blue and now they're green! And they look...like...

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" I shouted.

"But you're too cute!" she whined, swimming after me.

Those eyes... OH NO! No! Not her! ANYONE but her!!!

"Princess Abigal?" Navi interrupted. "Could you cut it out?"

"HUH!?" Lloyd dingled. "Who's 'Abigal'?"

I swear, I had to stop myself from screaming. See...Abigal...was...a...person that I was GOING to

have an intiment relationship with...way before Anna. As in...ex-girlfriend. Oh NO, Ruto was...?

"Well!" she snorted. "Fine! If you don't want the stone!"

"How did you know we wanted the stone anyway?" Lloyd asked.

"I guessed." fish-girl shrugged. "See, my mother said only to give it to the man I marry..."

"THEN KEEP IT-! MMPH!"

Lloyd and Navi, somehow, were both holding my mouth shut. How they did it is beyond me.

"Sure." Navi said. "Just give us the stone, and we'll be back later."

"We will?" Lloyd asked. "I mean...yeah! Sure!"

I tried to protest but they kept me silent while the fish-girl gave us the stone. I did what any sane person

would do, I grabbed it and ran for the high hills.

"Don't forget to come back!" Abigal waved.

Sure, I'll come back, and I'll bring my tartar sauce too! YOU HEAR ME? TARTAR SAUCE!!

"Hey...Who's Abigal?" Lloyd asked me once we were a bit aways.

"Well, her, duh." Navi said. "You know...Zora we just rescued?"

"But I thought..."

"Give up, Lloyd." I sighed. "Just go with it, it'll spare you some headaches."

"Okay- Wait...Hey!"

"Hay is for horses!" I laughed.

Lloyd sighed. "Damn, I thought you'd gone back to normal- Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh? What-? WOAH!"

We were in that place again, the one from my dream! I was standing on that same platform, but Lloyd

was with me, and Navi was nowhere in sight.

_**Time's up.**_

"Whoah, it's been twenty-four hours already?" Lloyd whined.

_**I am sorry, master of the pact.**_

"..." I paled. "You...have to go?"

"I guess so..." Lloyd's wings wilted. "Sorry, dad."

I sniffed, it wasn't fair! Why did he have to go already? Man...

"It's...okay." I said, eyes on the floor.

"Aw come on, don't be sad- Hey! What're you-?!"

You know, the fairies aren't just light specs, they're acutally solid. I know, 'cause I hugged him.

"I'll miss you." I said, my voice cracking.

All of a sudden, the platform seemed smaller. I blinked and realized Lloyd was back to normal, as in

his human, or half-angel, whatever the case may be, self, and I was taller than him. With a start I

realized we were both back in our original bodies, and I was still hugging him.

"..." I paled, disbelieving my own actions.

Lloyd smiled. "I'll miss you, too."

"...Take care." I muttered, ruffling his hair a bit with my hand.

"You too." he grinned. "And uh...try not to scare anymore fish."

I blushed slightly as he dissappeared with a smile.

"Kratos? Kratos! Wake up!"

I sprang upright, a child once again, Navi was pestering me.

"Are you okay?!" she asked. "You just collapsed!"

"...I'm...okay." I said, getting to my feet.

"Where's Lloyd?" Navi asked, looking around.

"...He...went home." I told her. "You know, he wasn't from here and stuff..."

"Oh...I wanted to say goodbye..." she whined. "Oh well... C'mon, let's get to the castle!"

"Oh!" I blinked. "That's right! Mae wants those stones..."

"Then let's get going!"

"Okay, I heard you already-"

"Let's get going!"

"...I'm not even going to try."

I ran off, trying to keep my mind on getting to Mae, not...about Lloyd leaving...

"Woah!" Navi dingled. "It's starting to rain!"

In less than seconds, we were in a DOWNPOUR.

"AGH!" I covered my head with my hands. "It's a storm for heaven's sake!"

"Quick!" Navi shouted. "Let's get to the castle!"

I ran as fast as I could, Navi beside me, we were at the town gate when-

"WATCH OUT!" Navi shouted.

I dodged out of the way, a white horse PLOWING by me. On it, was...Mae!

"Mae!" I called.

"Kratos!" she gasped. "GET THIS!"

She threw something over my head, and it plopped into the moat.

"What's going on...?" I whispered.

I got the answer pretty quickly. A black horse rode up to the gate, on it was Ganondorf.

"Damn, she got away..." he swore. "You! Boy!"

"Me?" I asked stupidly.

"Yes you, you idiot!" he snarled. "Did you see a white horse ride by here?"

"..."

"ANSWER ME!" he snapped.

In that instant, I reclaimed my desposition, and also saw Ganondorf turn into-

I drew my sword. "I don't have to answer you."

"HAH!" he laughed. "You think you can beat me? You've got guts, I'll give you that. Now, tell me."

"I will tell you nothing, Mithos." I hissed.

The man looking back at me was not the desert man, it was Yggdrasill, it was Mithos, wearing

the black armor and glaring at me. I saw his eyes widen with recognition, he knew, he knew it was me.

"Kratos..." he hissed. "You... YOU!"

The next second, I had been blown onto the ground, the tase of mud in my mouth.

"I'll deal with you later..." Mithos hissed. "But first..."

He kicked his horse, then rode off into the storm.

"Kratos, are you okay?" Navi asked, nudging me.

"I just hit mud, do you think I'm okay?" I spat, sitting up.

"We've got to get that thing she threw." Navi said, avoiding my question.

"..."

I looked out at the horizon, Mithos was chasing my sister, and I had no idea where they went...

"Hey! Kratos! Get that thing! Hurry!" Navi nagged.

I shook my head and then dove into the water, retrieving the item..an ocarina?

_Kratos...if you get the message, I suppose I'm no longer in Hyrule. Look...I need you to go to the _

_Temple of Time, unlock the door with the stones, and this song..._

A sound...a beautiful melody...

_You've got to do it, you're the last hope we have. Please don't let me down, brother._

Temple...yes! In the town! I jumped out of the water and ran into town as fast as I could, leaving a

path of puddles due to my soaking clothes. Eventually, finally, I made it to the temple.

Several minutes later, I opened the door of time.

"...Amazing." I whispered.

In the pedestal, was a beautiful blade, intrigued, I examined the sword.

The handle was made of some blue metal I had never seen, below the hilt a meticulously crafted

triforce...that was a triforce, right? For some reason...I felt the need to grab it. I reached forward.

"Uhm...You sure you should do that, Kratos?" Navi asked.

"...Well, what else should I do?" I asked.

"Isn't it a bit big for you...?"

"..."

I ignored her, eyes on the sword. The urge to take it was getting stronger by the second.

"Kratos? Hey! Aren't you listening?"

I reached for the hilt, almost completely oblivious to the fact she was there.

"Hey! Kratos-!"

I pulled out the sword.

----------------------------------------

**_Wake up, wake up hero of time._**

My eyes opened, they were so heavy...and my head...it felt so fuzzy...something felt different.

"..." I sat up, then looked around.

I was back in that place Lloyd left, except...there was an old man here.

"Hello, Kratos." he said. "This is the chamber of the sages. You see, we sealed you here to hide you.

Physically, you were too young to be the hero of time, weilder of the master sword, the blade you

drew from the pedestal. So...we sealed you in here, for seven years."

"Seven years-?! Huh-?"

My voice...not my usual deep voice, but on it's way, the voice of...a teenager?

"Kratos! Look! You're all grown up!!" Navi dingled.

I was Lloyd's age.

I was shocked at my appearance, for one, my ears were now extremely large, elf sized, and the

fact that...well, I was a teenager again. Something I hadn't been for a little over four mellinnia.

"I'm afraid, Mithos was busy while you were asleep." the man said. "He took the triforce of power,

and with it, has taken over the world."

"Again?" I spat. "And who are you anyway?"

I was being pretty rude...but for some reason, I was very angry.

"...I am Rauru." he said. "Better known to you as...Origin."

"Huh?" Navi dingled.

My eyes went wide. "Origin-? You're Origin? And Rauru?"

"That is correct." he nodded. "I am not plainly Origin, as you are not plainly Kratos."

"Huh?" I asked, mimicking Navi.

"Kratos, haven't you been wondering?" he asked. "How you're here...why you're here, why

people have been changing, why they have become people you know, knew?"

"Well of course I have." I snorted.

"...There is an order to the universe." he said. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Hardly."

"Well, it is somewhat true." Origin- Rauru- Origin/Rauru said. "See...when someone dies, they are born

again, into a different world, as a different person, but with the same qualities. There is a set number of

worlds, and once a soul has traveled them all, he achieves his eternal rest in heaven..or hell."

"...Yes, go on." I said simply.

"So, as that goes, a soul does not have one name, but many. Not one identity, but several, all

somewhat different, but in the end, the same."

"...Wait...if passing to a different world means..." I paled. "I died?"

Origin/Rauru nodded. "Yes, in the Symphonian universe, you have died."

"...I...what...?" I whispered, gaping at him wide-eyed.

"However. You have upset the balance." he stated. "When a soul moves on, they usually carry no

recollection of a past life. You have. That upset the balance of this world. Because one, just one

person, remembers, the people that have passed on that you knew, have begun to remember their past

lives as well, have begun to change back into what they were."

"...But..." I stammered. "These people, Anna, Mae, Abigal, Mithos, they all died long ago! So-"

"Time is an illusion." he said. "It doesn't matter when they died in a past life, they are all in the same

time period, together, in the next. The dead of the world before you, Symphonia, will eventually

reappear here, thanks to you, as someone you recognize."

"HUH?!!!!" Navi shouted, even more confused than I was.

"...Wait, so what about the other people? They kept changing what they called...them."

"The world is struggling to mantain a balance." he said. "Those unaffected by you, have merely

adapted, unaware of the change. Whoever you come in contact with, if in a past life you knew, will

eventually revert back to their previous selves."

"...Why?" I asked. "How did I disrupt it?"

"That...we don't know." Origin/Rauru said.

I took it in, it was a lot to take. This was...all...overwhelming. I died? I was changing this world?

I...wait a minute. If I was suppossed to be reborn here...then...that 'Link' Anna mentioned...

Don't tell me...

"Kratos, do you understand?" he asked. "You are Link. Link is Kratos. Kratos is Link. As Anna is

Saria, Mae is Zelda, and Abigal is Ruto."

"And Mithos, Ganondorf." I finished, still dazed.

"Correct. Now..." he raised an eyebrow. "Need I tell you what must be done?"

"...You want me to stop him." I closed my eyes, thinking. "...I made a promise. I'll do it."

"Then I leave it in your hands. Find the other sages, their power will aid you."

I nodded. "Yes, and...may I still call you Origin? Or would you rather I say Rauru?"

"Either is fine."

"...Thank you." I said. "I'll be going now..."

"Good luck. I shall pass your regards to the master of the pact."

"To Lloyd?" I asked. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

As I walked out of the temple's chamber, I felt my knees wobble. This was...all too much...entirely too

much. What right did he have to tell me I was dead?! That I was someone else, too?!

Navi dingled. "Kratos-!"

I spun on heel and drew the sword, I was in no mood for nonsense.

"..."

There was a person in front of me, somewhat shorter than me, wearing an unusual outfit. The person's

face was covered, allowing me only to see red eyes and whisps of dark blonde hair.

"There's no need for hostilities." the person said.

"I think I decide that," I snapped.

"Hmph. I am Shiek, of the Shiekah tribe."

"Shiekah?" I asked. "Like that Impa woman?"

"Correct."

The person paused, looking at me.

"Seeing you standing here...you really do look like the hero of time."

"..."

"You know you must seek out the sages." Shiek closed his- her- eyes. "One in a green forest, one in a

tall mountain, one in a deep lake, one in the goddess of sand, and one in the dark catacombs."

"You sure like to be vauge, don't you?" I snorted.

She, (I assume from the voice) snarled. "Do you want help, or not?"

"I'm sorry." I blurted.

"Good. The first sage is a girl I'm sure you know." Shiek said. "But, as of now you can't hope to even

get into the temple. Head for Kakariko village, there you will find something you need."

"...Thank you." I nodded my head, sheathing the sword.

Wait. Forest...girl...Anna-?!

"Wait-!"

Shiek dissappeared in the same annoying manner as Impa, leaving me irritated.

"DAMN!" I quickly played Anna's song. "Anna? Can you hear me?"

"Kratos! Is that you? Thank God!"

"Anna! Are you all right?!"

"I went to check on the temple but...well...er...let's just say I'm trapped."

"Are you all right?!" I said again.

"Fine. For now...er...little help?"

"Hang on! I'll be there as soon as I can!"

"M'kay. Not like I can do much else. Dammit, why am I always the damsel in distress?"

I tore out the door, but skidded to a stop at the sight of Death Mountain.

"Oh my g-!" I went wide-eyed.

The clouds that usually circled the mountain had been replaced with a ring of blazing flames.

"Woah..." Navi dingled. "This doesn't look good..."

"Damn..." I gritted my teeth.

"...So..."

"Huh?" I blinked, looking at her.

"Nothing, I mean, it fills in a lot of gaps." Navi dingled. "I mean, I thought you acted strangely. From

the moment I met you, to the time in Zora's domain, you were like completely bipolar."

"...Shut up." I muttered.

"And if...Oh! So you and Anna WERE-! Oh..." she turned bright pink.

"Shut up already!" I snapped. "Now, let's get going."

**Me: Was the explanation to weird or complex or anything?**

**Lloyd: Head...hurts...need...asprin...**

**Me: Oh Okay. Now...Back to playing- hey, where's it-?  
**

**Cheresea: AWESOME! LEGEND OF ZELDA TWILIGHT PRINCESS!**

**Me: Hey! That's mine!**

**Cheresea: Damn that Midna is a bitch, and what's with these 'fused shadows' things? If the **

**'light spirits' or what not are telling you it's bad, WHY ARE YOU GETTING THEM?**

**Me: You think I know? I just do it to get further in the game!**

**Genis: Hey, does anyone know how long that game is anyway?**

**Me: Yeah. I'm up to right after you get the Zora armor, is it almost over? Does anyone know? **

**I really hope it's not over yet, I love that game... T.T**

**Cheresea:...How much do you love it?**

**Me: Almost more than Tales of Symphonia-! I mean...uh...**

**(Cast glares angrily, muttering something about 'traitors' and 'kill'.)**

**Me: O.o BYE!**


	10. Chapter 10

**(Is listening to Zelda soundtrack got for Christmas)**

**Cheresea: Is she ever going to stop listening to that?**

**Me: Hey! I'm...getting into mood, the 'character' if you will.**

**Link: What the heck does she mean 'character'?  
**

**Me: Well- Wait, LINK?! What the hell are you doing here?  
**

**Link: I- That's a good question...**

**Saria: As if she knew the answer.**

**Zelda: Uh...Isn't this a little mixed up?**

**Cheresea: O.O Where on earth-?!  
**

**Lloyd: Uh-oh, did I mess up the Eternal Sword again?**

**Genis: I have a question. If Kratos is Link and Anna is Saria and stuff, how come they're right **

**here but NOT Kratos, Anna and Mae?**

**(Silence)**

**Lloyd: My head hurts.**

**Saria: I need an asprin.**

**Zelda: So Link, does that means you and Saria are Lloyd's parents?  
**

**Link and Saria: WHAT?!  
**

**Lloyd: Mommy! Daddy!  
**

**Link, Saria, and Cheresea: AHHH!! WHY AM I RELATED TO THIS DUMBASS?!**

**Me: Uh...I own nothing...**

Oh...My...goddess...

"What...are they...?" I whispered.

The town...it's infested with these...things, they look like people...

"Watch out!"

I heard an earsplitting scream, and was frozen in my tracks. One of those...THINGS, was coming

toward me, it was hideous, and the way it moved...it reminded me of...the exbulas...

Oh Mana, no. NO!

"WOAH!" Navi cried.

There was a bright flash of light, driving the thing away from me.

"Wh-what was that?" I asked.

"Look! There's something in your pocket!"

I reached in and took it out, it was a coin, no...a medallion, of gold, with the light crest on it...

"Rauru must have given it to you!"

"...Right, now let's get out of here!"

I spread my wings and flew like hell out of the castle town. Or...what was left of it.

"What were those...?" I whispered, pale.

"Well..." Navi said. "They weren't people, if that's what you're wondering. They were dark magic

manifesting inside of bones. So..."

"...Where's Kakiriko village? Over there, right?" I asked.

"Hm? Yeah! Let's go!"

I landed shortly, and then headed into town. A lot had changed since...then.

"Did you hear?" I heard someone gossiping. "They say there's a treasure in the graveyard!"

"Well, let's get going!" Navi chirped.

"Graveyard?" I went wide-eyed. "We're going to dig up GRAVES?!"

"Do you want to save Anna, or not?"

Damn her. At any rate, I had gotten all of two steps when...

"Wow! Hey cutie, want to go out?"

I was being...hit on? Is that what was happening? I mean, I had been through this numerous times with

females, but it was never that direct...

"Uh..."

The teenage girl grabbed my arm. "You are SO cute! Wanna come to MY house sweetie?"

I wrenched my arm away. "No thank you, I have business to take care of."

"But you're CUUUUUTTTEE!!!!"

CUTE?!

"Cute?!" I snapped. "If you have to call me anything do NOT call me cute!"

"Rowr rowr!" the girl smirked. "Tough guy!"

"I am going to 'tough guy' your hide to oblivion if you don't cease this waste of both our times."

"WOW!" she squealed. "He uses big words! That's always the mark of a hot guy!"

I decided to make a break for it, however...I learned something very bad.

Girls travel in packs.

"OH!"

"DAMN he's cute!"

"I saw him first!"

I also learned this: Running behind barrels helps lose crowds of groupies.

"Whew..." I wiped my forehead. "That was so close..."

"Wow, have you always gotten mobbed by fangirls?" Navi asked.

I suddenly had a flashback.

_"LOOK! LOOK! IT'S KRATOS!"_

_"GET HIM!"_

_  
"Run, Kratos!" Yuan called. "RUN!"_

_"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"_

_"Lucky bastard, he gets all the chicks- Martel, what are you doing?"  
_

_Martel hid a cap and flag with my face on it behind her back._

_"Nothing..."_

_"ARGH!" Mithos slapped himself._

I shook my head. "No. Never. Definitely not."

"You're lying, aren't you?"

I ignored here as I went to the graveyard, after finding an old diary, I found myself in a tomb...

"Heh heh heh!"

Is that an astral body?! Wait...it's a ghost..? Of a gravekeeper...

"I've been waiting for you." he grinned eerily. "See, I knew someone would come for the treasure I've

hidden in here, something you'd no doubt find useful!"

"And...for that you want?" I asked.

"Heh heh! If you want it, you have to catch me!"

Before I knew it, I found myself tearing through dark, damp, creature-infested dungeon corridors as I

chased the specter through the tomb, and the more I ran...

"COME BACK HERE DAMMIT!"

The more I lost my temper.

"Kratos! Calm down!" Navi said.

"Shut...up...!" I huffed, aggravated. "I...have to...catch him!!"

The ghost was in sight, but then the door started to close!

"Oh, HELL no!" I shouted.

I skidded under the door, barely making it into the room.

"Heh heh hee!" he laughed. "Not bad, not bad at all!"

I stood up, breathing heavily.

"Kratos?"

"WHAT?" I snapped at Navi.

"Wouldn't it have been faster if you just flew?"

There was a silence, followed by my hitting myself in the face.

"Well, here's your prize, as promised!"

The ghost dissappeared, leaving behind a chest. Inside which was a 'hookshot'. Apparently it can...

"This thing will let you get to places you can't reach!" Navi said.

"..." my eye started twitching. "Couldn't I just use my wings...?"

There was another silence.

"I guess so."

"ARGH!" I snapped. "I did that for NOTHING?!"

"Well, it was good exercise..."

"I HAVE FANGIRLS TO GIVE ME EXERCISE!!!"

"Oh yeah..." Navi turned blue.

I sighed, feeling incredibly stupid.

"Let's just get to the forest..."

--------------------

We arrived at Kokiri Village, but that's when I discovered something strange... They were all

children. Still. Every person was the same as they were seven years ago...

"What on...?" I paled.

"Kratos! Anna need help, remember?"

"Right." I shook the daze off, heading for the lost woods.

I had not gotten far before I found the little bastard, Mido.

"Hey! No one get's past here! I promised Anna I wouldn't let anyone in!"

"Look, just step out of the way and I won't hurt you." I sighed, putting my hand to my head.

"No way!"

I sighed, then took out the ocarina, playing Anna's song. Instead of hearing her voice...

"That song! You must know her, right?" Mido asked.

"That's what I was trying to tell you." I sighed.

"Well...okay."

Mido stepped aside, staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You look a lot like someone I used to know." he shrugged. "Anna always liked him..."

"..."

"Well?" he snapped. "Are you going to save her or not?!"

I nodded. "Thank you."

I ran into the woods, eager to find the temple. Navi flew alongside my head.

"You're wondering why they're still kids, aren't you?"

"..."

"Just hang in there, okay?"

**Cheresea: Wait...So does that mean Grama's still little...?  
**

**Genis: Ew. That sounds wrong.**

**Cheresea: And you're one to talk? You marry Presea.**

**Genis: I DO?! AWESOME!  
**

**Lloyd: Hey cool! Look what I found on Freaky's desktop!  
**

**Genis: Hey! O.o It's a picture of a little Kratos in Link's outfit! **

**Cheresea: O.o Shielding himself from tomatoes! Where on earth did...?**

**Me: What're you guys doing?  
**

**Lloyd: Where'd you get this picture?  
**

**Me: Oh, that one? Fanart central. It twas funny, and so creepily similar to my story.**

**Cheresea: That is weird...**

**Me: I know! Isn't it great?**

**All the others: ...**

**Cheresea: HEY! Genis! That's an Aurion line!  
**

**Lloyd: Yeah! You can't use it!  
**

**Genis: What-? But- OUCH! HEY! THAT HU-! OUCH! OW!**

**(I whistle while typing next chapter as the Aurions kill Genis.)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Twitch...twitch twitch...twitch...**

**Lloyd: Woah, is she okay?  
**

**Cheresea: I don't like the looks of this...**

**Me: Twitch...twitch...twitch...**

**Genis: HIT THE DECK! SHE'S GONNA BLOW!  
**

**(Genis hides under table and Lloyd knocks Cheresea to the ground.)**

**Me: AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!**

**(Smoldering pile of ruins of house remain, Genis comes out.)**

**Cheresea: Oh my G-! Lloyd! You saved my life! (Hugs)**

**Lloyd: Well...I mean, I am your dad...in about three or four years...**

**Genis: Wow, I wonder what Freaky exploded about?  
**

**Me: The ToS anime is coming out in Japan in a couple months!!**

**Lloyd:...That's a bad thing...?  
**

**Me: (Throttles Lloyd) And it's NOT coming out here for even LONGER!!!!!**

**Cheresea: Hey! Let Lloyd go! **

**Me: WHY?! WHY DOES JAPAN GET SO DAMN LUCKY!? T.T We don't even know if it's **

**coming to the U.S. in the first place! Can someone verify this for me?! (Slams Lloyd's head to **

**wall repeatedly) Will...some...one...tell...me...when...it...will...be...here?!**

**Lloyd: Air...  
**

**Genis: Freakyanimegal owns nothing except a dangerous obsession for...well, us...**

**Cheresea: DAMMIT, witch! Put my Dad down!**

"Whew...made it..."

"Um, Kratos?"

"Yes, Navi?"

"Couldn't you have just flew over the giants?"

There was a silence, then I proceeded to bash my head into the nearest tree.

"WHY. DIDN'T. YOU. SAY. THAT. BEFORE?!" I said between bashings.

"I thought you'd figure it out by yourself..." she turned blue.

I groaned. Great, just great, first I lose it as a hyper child, now I'm being reckless and not thinking

about things, like Lloyd. Like- well...a teenager...

"Let's go..." I sighed, walking up to the temple.

I heard a rustling sound behind me.

"So, you made it."

I turned around, Shiek was standing behind me, her arms crossed.

"..." I looked at her. "How do you keep showing up like that?"

"I'm a Shieka." she said. "We move with the shadows, undetected by the light."

"Tch." I snorted. "Sounds like something I would say."

"Hmph." she growled. "...If you ever want to return here again..."

Shiek conjured up a harp from nowhere, poising it in her hands.

"Play this melody." she said.

She struck a few notes, a tune forming. I took the ocarina and followed along, we fell into a duet, the

'Minuet of the Forest', the harp and ocarina in perfect harmony.

"..." she backed away.

"...Hey, wait-!" I started.

With a blinding light, she had gone.

"...Man, I hate that..." I sighed.

Before I knew it, I found myself tracking down ghosts with the bow I had found. Which leads me to

wonder, why is there a bow in a temple? They keep weapons in temples? Then again, why was there a

boomerang in a whale? Or a slingshot in a tree? That's very strange...then again, I always wondered

how the sorcerer's ring, even though it was in Sylvarant, had pedestals in Tethe'alla... I digress.

"Look! There's one!" Navi called.

Ah-hah! A poe!

Our ghost hunt came to an end a little bit later, and then I headed into the innermost room...

"Paintings...?" I wondered, looking around.

"KRATOS! LOOK OUT!"

On instinct, I whirled around and drew my sword, however, I was knocked over.

"UGH! What the-!?"

A horse-?! And a ghost on it?! This might be a tad difficult...

"Shoot it when you spot it in the paintings!" Navi cried.

I successfully shot the horse, but then it's rider started attacking me with balls of light. For some

reason, I found myself slashing it with my sword...knocking it...back?! I was in a deadly TENNIS

match for spirit's sakes! I managed to hit him, then the process started again.

...You'd think he'd try a different tactic once in a while...

"YAH!" I shouted, dealing the final blow.

The ghost and it's mount dissolved, leaving a voice...

_Well, I see you're still as good as ever, aren't you, Kratos? Hm?  
_

"Mithos!" I snapped, looking around.

_I really thought that ghost would finish you, ah well, I'll do better next time. AHAHAHAHHA!  
_

His voice died away, leaving me alone in the room aside from that blue light...

"C'mon Kratos, let's go." Navi said.

I sighed, walking into the blue light...

"...Kratos, you're here."

I looked around frantically, there, on the green platform was Anna.

She was...a child...

"Anna...?"

"You're older!" she smiled. "There ya go! Looking more like your hot self!"

"Ew." Navi said simply.

"Anna-!"

"Don't say anything, m'kay?" she sighed. "I know...this isn't ideal, huh?" she laughed bitterly.

"But...we'll find a way, once this is over, right?" she smiled. "I have faith in you, in us. We'll find a

way to be together again. But for now...I'm a kid, and not just a kid, I'm a sage. Funny, huh?" she

laughed again. "I finally get to be useful...here, you'll need this."

She closed her eyes, a green medallion appeared in my hands.

"...Anna..."

"Now don't get all crappily depressed on me!" she laughed. "You know I hate that! Don't you have a

promise to keep? Get out there and save the world, Mister Hero!"

"Anna..."

"...What?"

"I love you."

I saw her brown eyes fill up with tears, "I...I love you t-too..."

There was a flash of light, the chamber of the sages was gone, everything was gone, it was nothing

but...white, nothing except myself and- Anna! She hugged me, she was back to how she was before,

that is, in Sylvarant, before we were torn apart, before all this... She was an adult, and I realized I was

in my original body again, like when Lloyd left.

"Kratos..." she sniffed, hugging me tight. "Don't ever forget, I love you..."

"...Anna..." I lifted her chin up. "You know I'll never forget that."

"Oh Kratos!" she cried, kissing me.

I wished I could've stayed with her, like that, forever.

However...

"Ugh!"

I landed on the ground, back in the green tunic, right in front of the remains of the Deku Tree.

"Hey!" Navi dingled. "What's that?"

There was a sprout, a tiny sprout growing close to the ground. I leaned forward to examen it...

"HELLO!"

"YAAHH!"

I fell over backwards, the sprout growing bigger than me in two seconds.

"Hi there!" it said. "I'm the Great Deku Sprout!"

"The...what...?"

"The Deku Sprout!" it chirped. "I couldn't grow before, because the temple was cursed, but now that

you've cleansed it, I can grow! Thanks a bunch!"

"You're...welcome...?" I said slowly.

"You know, I bet you're wondering why you've grown, but everyone else hasn't! Right?"

FINALLY. Some ANSWERS!

"Yes!"

"Well, see Kratos, everyone in the village is a Kokiri. And kokiri, like Anna, don't age." he said. "You,

on the other hand, are a Hylian. Just like the princess."

"..." I raised an eyebrow. "Then why was I in a Kokiri village?"

"...Well...you see, a long time ago, when you were a baby. Your Mother was running from something

or another, dying, she managed to get you here with the last of her strength..."

...That's...like before...my mother...

"She begged the Deku Tree to give you sanctuary here, which he did." the Sprout continued. "Didn't

you ever wonder why you never got a fairy until you absolutely needed it?"

Not really. Seeing as...but...hm...

"If you ever have need to go back in time, visit the place where you found that sword."

"Wait, what?" I blinked. "That was out of nowhere...and...what?"

"Oh, nothing! G'night!" the Sprout fell asleep.

"Hey-! Wait!"

"Wow. He's really tired." Navi dingled.

I sighed. "The place where I got the sword...the Temple of Time?"

"Yep! Let's go check it out!"

"Wh-what?" I stammered. "But...that's in the castle town..."

"So?"

I shuddered. I didn't want to go back there, not back to those...things...

"Nothing." I stated. "let's go."

"Are you SCARED?"

"I AM NOT SCARED! NOW LET'S GO!"

----------------------------

"Phew..."

"Wow! I've never seen anyone run that fast!"

"Shut up, Navi."

"Back here again, are we?"

I looked up, Shiek was back, raising an eyebrow at me.

"What of it?" I spat.

"There's something I forgot last time...there's a song for this place as well."

"...WHAT?!" I snapped. "You mean I could've just-? Why you-!"

"If you calm down, maybe I'll teach it to you." she tsked.

"...Fine."

She took out her harp. "Follow these notes."

I took out the ocarina and played the song she performed. Prelude of Light.

"There. Now, if you'll excuse me." she said.

FLASH!

"Agh!" I shielded my eyes. "I hate it when they dissappear like that!"

"Well, at least she taught you the song! Let's check out the pedestal..."

I took the master sword and plunged it into the pedestal-

WOAH!

"Yipe! What-? What happened?" Navi whirled around.

I realized the room was larger.

"Holy-! I'm a kid again!" I gasped, back to the high-pitched Genis voice.

"Wow...that's weird. That might be useful later, let's go back!"

I pulled the sword out again, regaining the adolesecent form.

"..." I shook my head. "That was one of the strangest things I've ever seen...and I've seen things."

"Huh...Well! Let's get going to Death Mountain!"

"That's all you have to say?" I stared.

"Hm...Yep!"

I groaned.

"Hey! Are you listening? We've gotta go!"

"Just give me a sec-"

"HEY! I SAID let's go to Death Mountain."

"I heard you!" I snapped. "Is this one of your 'needless nagging' fits?!"

Apparently, yes, and they were going to get alot more frequent...

**Me:...WAAAAAAHHH!**

**Lloyd: What's wrong?  
**

**Me: I beat Twilight Princess!  
**

**Genis:...How's that a bad thing?  
**

**Me: Because now I have to wait for the NEXT Zelda game!**

**Cheresea: And the ending was-!  
**

**Me: (Covers her mouth) Not all the readers have beaten it! No spoilers!**

**Cheresea: Mmph!**

**Me: Hey guys? A question. Once this is over, should I make and entire 'Legend of Kratos' **

**series? Like 'Legend of Kratos: Mithos' Mask' and 'Legend of Kratos: SylphWaker' and **

**'Legend of Kratos: Twilight Angel' or something like that? Cause it'd be fun to write...**

**Cheresea: DO IT!  
**

**Lloyd: Woah, why do you WANT her to write something? Everytime she writes something **

**something bad happens to the rest of us!**

**Cheresea: But she made me when she wrote something...**

**Lloyd: Exactly!**

**(Cheresea maims Lloyd.)**

**Me: Review? **


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi guys! Next chapter, huh? Yep. BTW, about that picture with Kratos dressed as link, it's on **

**Fan art central dot net and it's by CruxisKatz. Sorry, the link won't pop up if I type it here. **

**No pun intended.**

**Cheresea: Hey, Freaky? Are any of the other characters gonna pop up in here?**

**Me: Like who?**

**Cheresea: Well, ya got Dad, Grama, Mithos and Origin... what about Sheena or someone?**

**Genis: Cheresea, then that'd mean they're dead.**

**Cheresea: Oh yeah...**

**Lloyd: Wait! Dad's dead?!**

**Me: Not in your reality you nimrod. **

**Genis: So none of us get any glory?  
**

**Me: Well...maybe in Windwaker...or Twilight Princess...**

**Cheresea: If anyone has any suggestions of who should be who in WindWaker and Twilight **

**Princess, please tell Freaky. Personally, I think Regal should be a goron...**

**Lloyd: Hah!**

**Genis: Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

I walked into Hyrule field and started for Kakiriko, when I spotted the ranch.

"Hey!" Navi popped up. "Do you think maybe we should check it out?"

"I suppose-"

"Hey! Let's go!"

"I said okay-!"

"Hey! Let's go! Listen!"

I grabbed her by the wings.

"SHUT. UP. Or the wings come OFF. Do you understand?" I snarled.

She turned blue. "Y-yes sir..."

I headed to the ranch in order to shut her up. It wasn't much different...except all the horses were

penned in, and Ingo was running things...

"Welcome to MY ranch." he smirked. "If you pay me, I'll let you ride one of my fine horses."

"YOUR ranch?" I raised an eyebrow. "What happened to Talon?"

"THAT BUMBLING IDIOT WASN'T FIT TO RUN THIS PLACE!" he shouted.

I stepped back. Something was off here.

"Fine then, I'll just go-"

"Wait! No! Are you SURE you don't want to ride a horse?!"

I ran off before he could yell anymore, then ran right into a young woman.

"Ugh! I'm sorry ma'am, I- Malon?"

She stood up, blushing timidly. "F-fariy boy? Is that you?"

"MALON!" Ingo shouted. "Stop flirting with customers!"

"Flirting-?"

"Y-yes sir!" Malon stammered, then ran inside the barn.

"Ingo's running things, and Malon's being bullied?" Navi asked. "Something's up..."

I walked into the barn after Malon, she was milking the cows, sniffling to herself.

"Malon?" I asked.

She looked up. "Fairy boy! Oh, I mean...um...you should leave..."

"What happened?" I asked. "What happened to your father?"

Malon sighed, "Ingo ran my father out a long time ago, now I'm stuck working for him..."

"That's terrible. I know what it's like to have a bastard for a boss." I told her.

"He used to be okay, but then the darkness got to him," she sighed. "And now all he wants to do is

breed the 'perfect horse' for his 'esteemed highness' Yggdrasill." she snorted.

I doubt Mithos likes horses very much...

"Anything I can do?" I asked her.

"Well...No..." she sighed. "If only someone could bring him back to his senses..."

I left without another word, she didn't look like she wanted to talk anymore. Bring him back to

his senses? I doubt just beating his slimy hide would do that...hm... Maybe I'll 'talk' to him...

"I-" I started.

"Ride one of the horses! Ten ruppees! C'mon!" Ingo pressed.

I sighed. Apparently he was only going to listen to me if I did...

"All right." I sighed, handing the money over.

"Wonderful! Get in there and choose a horse!"

I was practically pushed into the gates. One horse immediately ran up to me. Epona? Wait...Something

was different about it... It whinnied, flapping it's ears.

No. way.

"Noishe?!" I yelped.

It nodded it's head swiftly, then nudged me. Urging me to mount it.

"Noishe!" I gaped. "But- how- wait, you're a girl?"

Noishe snorted indignatly, glaring at me.

"All right, all right!" I said, getting on his- her? it's, back.

I grabbed the reins and a strange feeling gripped me. The last time I rode a horse...how old was I?

Come to think of it, I was seventeen, which is how old I am now... I also remembered something.

I got a kick out of riding them.

"Hyah!" I shouted.

We went forward, then faster.

"Hyah! Hyah!"

Faster and faster. I felt a grin come to my face, we jumped over the fence, going incredibly fast. My

heart was racing, adrenaline pumping, it was such a rush! Zooming around, jumping the fences.

"Hey!" Ingo cackled. "You're pretty good! Why don't you and I have a little race?"

I halted Noishe, then turned to face him. I smirked.

"You're on."

Before I knew it, I was racing Ingo, it was a piece of cake, all you needed was speed.

Of course, he didn't take it well.

"AAAARRRGGGHHH! NO! NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! THAT'S THE HORSE I WAS

GOING TO OFFER TO YGGDRASILL! I CAN'T LET HIM FIND OUT IT LOST!! YOU!

REMATCH! IF YOU WIN- YOU- YOU CAN KEEP THE HORSE!!"

I smirked, leaning on Noishe. "Well, that sounds like a great idea, doesn't it?"

Noishe nodded, whinnying. The race, of course, was a piece of cake. Ingo didn't have a chance.

"NO! NO NO NO!!! FINE THEN! BUT YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE!"

Ingo ran off and closed the gates. I snorted.

"Please, he thinks that'll keep me in?" I laughed.

Noishe whinnied.

"Well, no hurry to get out just yet..." I said. "So Noishe, tell me, I'm confused. One, are you male or

female? And two, how the hell did you end up here?"

Noishe whinnied.

Navi popped up. "Um...It says a monster killed it, and that it's a girl."

I went bug-eyed. "You mean to tell me we had it's gender wrong for four-thousand years?!"

"HUH!?" Navi dingled.

Noishe whinnied.

"Uhm...She said, yeah, and she's very pissed at you about it."

"...Ah..." I said simply.

"I don't get half of this." Navi told me.

"Should've paid attention to 'Rauru'." I tsked. "Now...what do you say we break out of here?"

Noishe nodded her head. I smirked.

"Let's go."

We charged for the gate and Noishe leapt over it, we were home free and out of there.

"So," I said as we rode toward Kakiriko. "Noishe, how was everyone doing?"

She whinnied. Navi translated.

"She said 'Good', except for Lloyd's grades'."

I laughed. At least they were doing okay...

"All right, let's get to Kakiriko."

In a few minutes, I found myself back in the village and heading for the goron city...

Where is everyone?

"Hey, the city's empty!" Navi dingled. "All except that LIIIITTTTLLLE one over there."

There was a small goron rolling around in circles. I decided to stop him and ask what happened.

"G-go away!" he yelped. "Hear my name and tremble! I am Kratos!"

I froze.

"Excuse me?!" I laughed. "I'm sorry, but I'M Kratos..."

The goron uncurled, looking at me.

"Oh! You! You're the hero my daddy named me after! The Kratos who saved our tribe!"

Hero? Even here, I'm being called a hero?

"Who is your father?" I asked.

"Daddy is Darunia!" he said. "See, Yggdrasill sent monsters, and all us gorons got kidnapped,

and is gonna be fed to the dragon!" he cried. "Daddy went to save them! But-! I'm worried!"

Darunia...oh yes! Him! Hm...sounds like they could use my help...

"Go into the volcano and help daddy!"

"Volcano?" I went wide-eyed. "Um...I'll burn, you do realize?"

"Take this! Daddy said to give it to you! He said, 'Sworn Brother will come! You give this to him'!"

He handed me a red tunic. "It let's even little humans survive in hot hot mountain!"

"...Thank you." I nodded my head. "Now, you just stay here and keep safe, all right?"

"Thank you, mister Kratos!" he smiled. "You can get to mountain from statue in Daddy's room!"

With that, he rolled off once again.

"Darunia named him after you?" Navi asked. "Aw! Isn't that sweet?"

Though a bit insulting...yes, I had to agree, it was somewhat...sweet...

"Well, let's go."

**Hm...I should've made it longer . '**

**Cheresea: Noishe is a girl?!**

**Me: (Shrugs) Sure, why not?  
**

**Lloyd: O.o a GIRL watched me skinny dipping?!**

**Genis, Cheresea and Me: WHAT?!  
**

**Lloyd: Uh...**

**  
Genis: Ewewewewewewewe...**

**Cheresea: So. Wrong.**

**Me: Ugh...gross...um, review?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi guys! I-**

**Cheresea: TRAITOR!**

**Me: Huh?**

**Cheresea: You put up Zelda stories!  
**

**Me: ...So? Two were oneshots-**

**Cheresea: And the last one was a story-story! You're going over to the 'Zelda' side!  
**

**Me: Huh? No...I just put one up for Twilight Princess because I had an idea...**

**  
Genis: And what about after that? Huh?**

**  
Lloyd: Yeah! You're just going to keep writing ZELDA!  
**

**Me: No I'm not...I'm staying with Tales, after all, there is SO much plot to mess- work with.**

**Cheresea: ...Traitor.**

**Me: I AM NOT A TRAITOR! GOD!**

**Genis: Whatever...Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

Death Mountain, a smoldering, hot, sweaty, stinking place. Much like Yuan's gym locker was.

"Whew! It's hot! Good thing you have that tunic!"

I nodded, I barely felt the heat in this...even though red is not my color. It's Lloyds. I made my way

over the bridge and that's when Sheik popped in again.

"Well, you certaintly have high endurance." I smirked. "To be in a place like this."

She snorted, taking out the harp.

"Do you want the song or not?"

I took out the ocarina. In the next minute I learned the Borleo (A/N I think that's right..) of Fire.

"...Remember your friends when you play this song." she said.

"Don't you dare do that dissappearing thing agia-!"

CRACK!

I sighed, "No one listens to me..."

Thus, I headed into the temple of fire. I didn't get very far before I ran into a goron.

"What-? It's sworn brother, Kratos!" Darunia said.

I waved simply.

"My! You got big, grew alot since being a shrimpy little midget!"

My eye twitched. "...I'm ignoring that."

"Look, I'm going in to stop the dragon, save my people and then catch up to me!"

Before I could say anything, the goron went into the room and locked it.

"...If he wanted me to help, why did he lock the door?" I muttered.

"Well...maybe he wanted to make sure you had to save his people first." Navi said.

I sighed, "All right, let's go find those gorons."

Thus began my 'rescue mission'.

"Thank you!" the first goron said, then rolled off, dust flying into my face.

Ah, isn't helping retarded rock-gorillas rewarding? Anyway, I continued through and found the mega-

ton hammer (A/N is that the right name?) and freed all the gorons.

(A/N I also called this temple the 'Huh' Temple seeing as I remembers nothing about it.)

"Well, we've found the boss key." I said, "Let's go help Darunia."

We made our way back to the room we had seen Darunia in-

"Oh! Use the hammer and that rock will fall down!" Navi dingled.

"Or, I can do this." I unfurled his wings and flew over to the door.

"...Darn it, I always forget about those..." Navi muttered.

I opened the door and we walked in, but instead of finding Darunia, we found a monster.

"YIPES! A DRAGON!" Navi flew under my hat.

I smirked, "An airborne foe, hm?"

I unfurled my wings and shot up into the air with the reptile, the Master Sword in my hand.

"Watch out!" Navi yelped from under my hat. "It's head is too thick to attack!"

Thick-headed? At last, someone like Lloyd. Enough jokes, let's see...ah yes, that hammer will do

nicely... I charged at the lizard and rammed it's head with the weapon I had found.

"How's that?" I smirked.

The dragon fell to the ground, dazed, I took advantage of this and broke his armor off his head, then I

finished the creature with a simple stab through the head. I smirked as the beast dissolved in the

magma and then the blue light appeared. I walked into it and found myself in the chamber of the sages.

"Sworn Brother!"

I turned to face Darunia, so he was a sage as well...

"I cannot thank you enough for saving my people!" he smiled.

"It was nothing." I shrugged. "I seem to have a bit of a hero complex..."

Darunia laughed, "Thank you, Brother! Here! You have earned it!"

Another medallion, a red one, floated down into my hands.

"Thank you." I nodded my head.

"Goodbye, Sworn Brother! And good luck!" he said as he dissappeared.

Before I could do anything, Origin- I mean, 'Rauru' appeared.

"The Master of the Pact is wanting to see you." he said.

"What?" I asked. "Lloyd? So soon?"

"It has been seven years, Kratos." he said. "The last time he saw you was seven years ago."

I stared at him, of course...I had forgotten about that...

"So he wants to visit again?" I asked. "Does he have enough mana to-?"

"He has grown very strong in seven years."

That's when the realization hit me.

"He's an adult?" I asked, pale.

O- Raura, nodded, "Yes, and he wants to see you. He can stay longer this time, in his own body, as I

said before, his strength and mana level has increased...impressively, really..."

"..." I nodded slowly, smiling. "Yes. I'd like to see him."

"Excellent." he stated. "He'll be in Kakiriko, he should be able to stay about three days."

"Thank you..." I bit my lip.

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm about to see my son as an adult while I'm a teenager, what do you think is wrong?"

I never figured out if he knew what I was getting at, I appeared back in the volcano.

Navi popped up, "Wait a minute...Lloyd's your SON!?"

"..." I started for the exit.

"AUGH!" Navi yelped. "Man! I knew things would get weird when I met up with you, but not THIS

weird! It's insane! I don't understand anything that's been going on!!"

I felt a smirk of satisfaction come to my lips, it really was enjoyable to hear her 'spaz out'.

"Are you coming or not?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

Navi groaned and flew under my hat. We descended the mountain and I walked into Kakiriko just as

the sun was going down...

"So you just sit out here all day and ask for people to sell you stuff?"

"Well..."

"Where do you get the money if all you do is buy stuff? Do you sell anything?"

"Well-"

"I just think it's weird is all-"

"Who are you anyway?"

"Give me your name and I'll give you mine!"

I froze, I pressed against the wall and peeked to the other side. An irritated peddler was sitting on the

ground talking to a tall man wearing a red outfit. He was in his early twenties by the looks of it, and-

dare I say it, looked remarkably me...that is, if I had that hairstyle and an idiotic grin.

"..." I paled. "...Lloyd..."

You have to understand, this wasn't exactly easy for me to see...

"Hm?" Lloyd blinked, then turned my way.

I paled and pulled my head back out of veiw.

"What's wrong-? MMPH!"

I grabbed Navi in my hands to muffle her voice.

"Quiet." I hissed. "I don't want him to find-"

"Kratos?"

I felt a shiver up my spine and then turned to face- bizarrely, my son.

"..." I laughed nervously. "Um...Hello?"

Lloyd laughed, "Holy cow! You're like- what, seventeen?!"

"..." I sighed. "I see you haven't changed much..."

"Wow..." Lloyd tilted his head to the side. "It's creepy...you look like I did...you're even wearing red!"

I blinked and realized I was still wearing the goron tunic.

"I didn't want to." I stated. "I needed to get into the volcano..."

"Volcano?" he blinked. "Wow...you've been up to trouble without me? I'm hurt!"

I smiled, "It's not your fault-"

"WOAH!" Lloyd stared. "You smiled!"

"...Must we go through this every time I-?"

"MMMPPHHHHH!!"

I blinked, realizing I still had Navi in my hands. I released her and she proceeded to shout again.

"KRATOS! YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!!!!"

I yawned, "Saving people is so tiring... let's find somewhere to sleep..."

"AAAAAAARRRRGGHHHHHH!!!!" Navi bashed herself into the wall.

Lloyd laughed, "Wow, D- Kratos, it's so weird seeing you do that!"

"I'm bored." I said. "Let's go."

Lloyd burst out laughing again, clutching his gut.

"THAT'S where I got it!"

I flinched, realizing what I had just done.

"Oh...shut up." I snorted.

"S-sorry." he snickered. "Anyway, I think they let people sleep in that building over there."

I looked in the direction he pointed. "Ah yes...this is a refugee town after all..."

"Huh? Why?" Lloyd asked.

"...I'll tell you once we get there." I stated.

"...I missed you." he smiled.

I flinched, "...It's nice to see you too..."

We went down to the building and knocked, a woman answered it.

"Yes?"

Before I could say anything, Lloyd gently pushed me aside.

"Hello, Miss," he smiled charmingly. "My brother and I need a place to stay, would you mind...?"

"Your brother-?" I started.

The woman had blushed bright red, "Um...s-sure...both of you can stay the night.."

"Thank you very much." Lloyd said, like a gentleman.

The woman blushed even more and opened the door wide as we walked in.

I stared at Lloyd in shock. "How did...?"

"...What?" he smirked. "We have the same genes, I can drive a girl nuts too."

The woman who had let us in was staring at Lloyd, drooling.

"Oh goddesses...he's so cute..." she muttered.

I shuddered. That's when I realized something else. Apparently, this was the hangout of the fangirls

who had attempted to catch me a while back.

"Oh! oh! It's him! The hot guy!"

I yelped and hid behind Lloyd.

He laughed, "Woman troubles?"

"Shut up." I snapped.

"Who're you?" the girls asked Lloyd.

"I'm his big...brother." Lloyd lied. "Nice to meet you."

"Wow..." a girl whispered to her friend. "He's cute too...too bad he's old."

"Old?!" Lloyd gasped. "I'm twenty-four!"

I laughed to myself, immensely enjoying Lloyd's torment. Due to the lack of space however, we had to

sleep in the living room as the other occupants got rooms. I sat down on the floor.

"Whew..." I yawned. "I'm beat..."

"Tough day?" Lloyd smiled.

"I killed a dragon and freed a species."

"Wow...you did have a tough day..." Lloyd stared.

"..." I stared at him.

"What?" he blinked. "Why do you keep staring at me?"

"...It's weird seeing you like this, is all..." I muttered.

"Oh? Why didn't you say so?" he smirked.

There was a quick flash and Lloyd was a teenager again. As the last time I had seen him.

"Wh-what the?" I paled.

"Cool, huh?" he grinned. "I figured out how Mithos did it, it's a nifty trick."

I stared in complete shock. I hadn't even figured out that 'trick'...and I was with Mithos all that time.

"How do you do that...?" I asked.

Lloyd smiled, "You need to be in touch with Origin's power. It's pretty hard, but cool."

"..." I smiled as well. "I see...so how have things been?"

Lloyd sighed, "Well...okay, but Noishe got killed a few weeks ago..."

"Oh, I knew that." I stated. "She's right outside the village."

"He is-?! Wait, 'she'?!" Lloyd gasped.

I nodded, "Noishe is a she, and even more, he's a horse..."

Lloyd stared at me in a way that I had to stop myself from laughing at.

"Noishe is a girl...?!" Lloyd gasped.

I nodded, "Yes."

Lloyd blushed bright red, "Oh God...a GIRL watched me go skinny dipping...?"

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Uh...eheheh..." he rubbed the back of his neck. "So...didja figure out how you got here?"

"...You might not want to hear it." I stated.

"Aw, come on! Tell me!" he pressed. "I mean, I COULD just ask Origin-"

"Rauru." I blurted.

"Say what?"

I sighed, why had I just said that? So I told him everything, about Origin, about my being-

"You're DEAD?!" Lloyd yelped, wide-eyed.

"..." I laughed dryly. "This is the afterlife, suprise."

Lloyd stared at me in an expression of horror, then sorrow...

"So...you...you're..." he muttered sadly.

"...Lloyd..." I whispered. "It's...all right, really, I...I'm all right. Here."

"..." Lloyd copied one of my frequent expressions. "But still..."

Just then, I thought of just the thing to cheer him up.

"...Your mother, is here as well..." I started.

"She is?!" Lloyd gasped. "Really?!"

I smiled at the look of delight in his eyes.

"We'll go see her first thing in the morning." I smiled.

"What?" Navi flew out from my hat. "B-but! What about the next temple?!"

"It can wait a little while, Navi." I stated. "Besides..."

I took out the ocarina of time, tossing it up and down in my hand.

"Time is something we have plenty of." I smirked.

"...Whatever..." Navi muttered, then flew under my hat again.

"What is that?" Lloyd asked, looking at the ocarina.

"You'll see." I smirked. "So...Raine still teaching?"

Lloyd nodded, "Yeah, but now she just gripes about being middle aged..."

"...She's only about thirty..." I said slowly.

"Yeah, and she thinks that's 'old'."

"...She's going to live a thousand years." I stated. "Four HUNDRED is middle aged for her..."

Lloyd laughed, "And man, did we try to point that out. Genis still has the bruise on his cheek.

I hate to admit it, but I got quite a chuckle out of that.

------------------------------------

"Noishe! Over here!" I waved.

We had just exited Kakiriko, and Noishe ran up to us.

"NOISHE?!" Lloyd went bug-eyed.

Noishe whinnied and rubbed her head against Lloyd's face, ears twitching.

"I told you she'd be happy to see you." I smiled.

"Wow...she's a horse..." Lloyd gaped.

Noishe snorted, as if she were offended. I patted her head before playing the Prelude of Light.

In a flash, we were inside the temple of time. Lloyd gasped.

"Woah! What did-?"

I walked toward the pedestal, "Come, we're going to take a little trip."

"Huh? To where?"

"The past." I smirked.

"HUH?!"

"You might want to turn back to normal, otherwise you might end up as a ten year old."

"Wait...what?"

I walked up to the pedestal and took the Master Sword out of it's sheath.

"Wow...That's an impressive sword." Lloyd said, having turned back into an adult.

"Yes, though I still prefer Flamberge." I smirked. "Hold on to my shoulder."

Lloyd did so as I jutted the Master Sword back into the pedestal. The Triforce glowed...

"WOAH!!!" Lloyd yelped, seventeen once more.

I looked down at my hands, back as a child...Oh no. Was I going to act like it again!?

"Um...Lloyd?" I turned to him. "Please...don't let me act...childish, again..."

"You mean like when you were at that place with the fish people."

"That's EXACTLY what I-" I started.

Huh? What's with the stuffy language-? No! NO! I am NOT a ten year old...I am NOT a-

"You have funny clothes." I said to Lloyd.

AH! DAMNED TO HELL WHATEVER FORCES DID THIS!

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked. "Man...that was fast."

"What was fast?" I blinked. "I don't get it."

"...Okay...um, weren't we going to see Mom?" Lloyd asked.

"Huh?"

Lloyd smacked me upside the head.

"Ugh-! That was uncalled for!!" I snapped.

"THERE we go!" Lloyd chirped. "Much better."

"Hmph..." I snorted. "All right...we were going to see Anna, correct?"

I took out the ocarina once more, then played the Minuet of the Forest. In yet another instant-

"KRATOS!"

I felt a tight compression around my middle, Anna had locked me in a bear hug.

"I missed you!" she chirped as she released me.

I smiled, "Anna, there's someone I want you to meet."

I turned around to face Lloyd, Anna turning with me. They locked eyes and paled.

"Anna...this is Lloyd, our son." I told her. "Lloyd...this is your mother."

They stared at each other in shock, Anna was the first to recover.

"You're...Lloyd?" she whispered.

Lloyd nodded dumbly, "Y-yeah..."

Anna's eyes welled up with tears, then she flung her arms around Lloyd's middle.

"Aw, Mom! Come on!" Lloyd stammered, laughing in a euphoria.

**I'll leave it off there. We'll pick up with their little reunion next time.**

**Lloyd: I get to meet my mom! Awesome!**

**Cheresea: I want to meet my Grama...**

**Me: Um, actually in your story-  
**

**Genis: (Covers Freaky's mouth) Don't give out spoilers for your own story, stupid!**

**Me: MMPH!**

**Lloyd: Hey, Cheresea! Look! In her new 'Zelda' story, she has a girl that's a you-ripoff!**

**Cheresea: WHAT?! 'Reya' huh?! Well! Two can play the 'second generation' heroine game!!**

**Me: You already are...**

**Cheresea: NO! THIS IS WAR! **

**Me: Sigh...--; Where did she get that temper...?**

**Lloyd: You gave it to her, you said you based her somewhat after yourself.**

**Me and Cheresea: SHUT UP!  
**

**Genis: See?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Cheresea: You! You're evil!**

**Me: Huh? What for?  
**

**Cheresea: You've been writing more of that Zelda story than MY story!!**

**Me: --;...Cheresea, you're my first OC that wasn't pathetic, why do you think I'll leave you?**

**Genis: Who were your other ocs?**

**Me: Well...my first one was a psycho lady named 'Shekla' who liked to do the twist...**

**Lloyd, Cheresea and Genis: O.O**

**Me: Then I had 'Keatichi' who shouldn't have existed...and Sozo and Sakura who MIGHT **

**have existed but not likely...and...Tami and Teana...who were lame. **

**Tami: WHAT?!**

**Me: YOU'RE BACK?! But your story got deleted!  
**

**Tami: I'm going to kill you!**

**Cheresea: How do you explain THAT, Freaky?  
**

**Me: She's a Yugioh oc.**

**Lloyd, Cheresea and Genis:...DEATH TO THE OUT OF DATE YUGIOH CHARACTER!**

**Me: Yeah...so you get it... . Cheresea's my first REALLY original one.**

**Lloyd: Ya mean all the others were-?**

**  
Me: Ripoffs pretty much. All the stories they were in are deleted now.**

**Cheresea:...So I'm...not a ripoff of anyone, am I?**

**  
Me: Hm...nope, you're my first good one.**

**Cheresea: (Grins) Freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

**Lloyd:...Freaky? Are you sure you can't delete her either?**

**  
(Cheresea maims Lloyd)**

"Lloyd!" Anna sniffed.

"Wow..." Lloyd laughed nervously. "Talking about messing up the timeline..."

"Screw the timeline!" Anna snapped. "I'm glad you're here!"

Lloyd smiled, "Yeah. I am too!"

Navi dingled, "Can we go now?"

"Of course not!" Lloyd and Anna snapped. "We JUST met!"

"You should learn to be more patient, Navi." I said.

"WHAT?! ME?! Why you-! Grr...I hate this job..."

Navi flew under my hat as I walked up to Lloyd and Anna.

"So," I smiled. "You have alot of catching up to do, hm?"

Anna grabbed Lloyd's arm and ran off.

"Come on! I want to show you the village!"

"Hey! What about me?!" I scoffed, running after them.

Before I knew it, we were in the village. Lloyd was attracting stares from the other Kokiri.

"Woah. Anna! Kratos! Who's the tall guy?" one girl pointed.

"Why is he wearing red?" another guy asked.

"Why does he look like a cross between Kratos and Anna?"

Anna and I exchanged glances.

"Um...Hi! I'm Lloyd!" Lloyd smiled at one Kokiri.

"...You dress funny."

"Wha-? At least I'M not in a skirt." Lloyd huffed.

"Uh-oh." Anna paled.

"What?" I asked.

"Never say that...you should never say that..."

"I. AM. NOT. IN. A. SKIRT!!!!" he shouted loudly.

The boy grabbed a tree branch and smacked Lloyd upside the head with it.

"OW! Hey-!"

"YOU MEANIE!"

I stared in a stupor as the boy chased my son around with a stick. Something I never thought I would

ever see anything like, even with my living multiple mellinnia.

"H-hey!" Anna chased after them. "Leave him alone! Lloyd! Apologize!"

"HE'S the one trying to kill ME!" Lloyd shouted.

"Just say you're sorry!"

"I'm sorry! Don't kill me don't kill me!!" Lloyd yelled.

The kokiri chasing him stopped, then turned to Anna.

"Who IS this guy, Anna?" he asked. "And why is he such a jerk?"

"Hey!"

"Sorry about him. He's Kratos' friend."

All the Kokiri looked at me, putting me right on the spot.

"Aw man! Kratos! Why do you always do all this weird stuff?" one groaned.

"You're always such an oddball, Kratos!" a girl snapped.

"Hey!" Anna came to my defense. "Just because-!"

"Anna, why do you always hang out with him, anyway? Everyone knows he's not a-!"

A girl gasped and covered his mouth, "You're not suppossed to tell him that!!"

I felt strange, suddenly. Maybe it was because of my being a child that made me more sensitive to their

'comments' about me but I actually felt as if...as if it hurt.

"Hmph!" Anna huffed. "Come on Kratos, Lloyd, we don't need to be around these jerks!"

Anna grabbed me and Lloyd by the hand and pulled us away, toward her house.

"Don't let them get to you, Kratos." Anna said.

"Since when does D- Kratos let anything get to him? Come on, he's tougher than that." Lloyd said.

I was looking at the ground, I felt very queasy...like I ate something that didn't agree with me...what

was wrong with me? I spaced out for a moment, then Lloyd waved his hand in front of my face.

"Hey, you all right?" he asked.

I shook my head, "Hm? Yes, I'm sorry."

"...Come on! I want to show you guys the best view!" Anna smiled.

She lead us to the roof of her house and out to the veiwing platform.

"Woah!" Lloyd looked around. "This place is so..."

"Cute?" Anna asked.

"Guys don't say cute, but yeah." Lloyd nodded. "I've never seen a village like this..."

"Hee hee!" Navi dingled happily. "It's so nice here!"

"I remember...I used to sit out here and count the stars at night." Anna smiled. "Remember-? Oh

wait...that wasn't really you, huh Kratos?"

"Huh?" I tilted my head to the side.

"That was before you got Navi." she pointed at the fairy. "That's before you were you again, and by

you I mean Kratos the angel from Sylvarant and/or Tethe'alla."

"So you remember Sylvarant, AND your life here, Mom?" Lloyd asked.

Anna nodded, "I do. Kratos doesn't though..."

"I wonder why that is..." Lloyd blinked. "Man, this is all so weird...and I thought I knew weird."

I stepped forward on the stand and looked around, suddenly I lost my footing.

"W-woah!!" I windmilled.

_"AAAAHHH!"_

_I was windmilling on the edge of my treehouse and grabbed onto the curtain of my 'door'. I was a _

_bit shorter, and my hair was blonde. A girl with green hair ran up to the bottom of the treehouse._

_"Link!" she shouted. "Are you okay?!"  
_

_I caught my breath and felt myself stammer out an answer._

_"Y-yeah...I'm fine, thank you Saria."_

_She sighed, "Well, come on! I want to show you a turtle I found at the pond!"_

_"Oh cool!" I felt myself say. "I'll be right down!"_

_I climbed down the ladder and ran to her._

_"Heh heh!" she grinned. "What's with you guys and reptiles?"_

_"Oh come on, Saria!" I said. "Show me the turtle!"_

_She grinned and ran off, I chased after her to the small watering hole._

_"Look! There! A turtle!" Saria pointed._

_"Oh cool!"_

_"Hey...Link?" she said._

_"Yes?" I asked._

_"What's that in the water?"_

_"What's wha-? AAH!"_

_SPLASH!  
_

SPLASH!

I jerked upright, shaking the water out of my hair.

"I think that did it." Anna said.

"If he asks, you did it." Lloyd told her.

"What...? Just...?" I shook my head.

"Are you okay, Kratos?" Anna asked me.

"I...had a dream..." I muttered. "I was calling you Saria...and I was blonde, and you called me 'Link'."

Lloyd snickered.

"What?" I asked.

"YOU as a blonde?" he snerked. "Heheheheh...that's...funny..."

He grinned widely as I glared at him.

"I was calling you 'Link'?" Anna blinked. "...You must have remembered part of the past! The

past here I mean! I had those too! Except it was kinda all at once..."

"WWWWAAAAAAAIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTT a minute." Lloyd said. "I'm lost. What?"

"Didn't Origin tell you the whole 'more than one person' thing?" I sighed.

"Um...Nope." Lloyd shrugged. "Didn't ask."

I groaned into my hand, "Then ask him on your own time, I don't feel like explaining it."

"So..." Lloyd looked around. "Which house is yours, D- Kratos?"

We were by the pond, where Lloyd most likely got the water to splash at me. Lloyd looked around.

"The...the treehouse." I said.

Lloyd grinned, "Hah! That's so funny! You in a treehouse..."

"I'm tiring of you doing that, Lloyd." I muttered.

"Man, you're no fun at all."

I got to my feet, still dazed after the flashback that wasn't really a flashback...

"Hey, what's this?" Lloyd pointed at a drawing at the base of the tree.

"It's a drawing we made." Anna smiled. "Someone fighting a big monster."

"That looks like the dudongo I fought in Death Mountain..." I trailed.

Navi fluttered around it, "Woah, it's weird, isn't it?"

"That's really creepy..." Lloyd muttered. "So, what's your house like?"

We climbed up into the little room I had woken up in, the room in which I had made my transition from

mellinnia old Seraph in Derris-Kharlan, to a ten-year-old boy in a tree.

"It's so small..." Lloyd looked around. "I mean, the bed and stuff...hey! What's this?"

Lloyd ran over and poked at a small box on the dresser. Navi dingled.

"Hey! Don't touch stuff that isn't yours! Goddesses! Doesn't he have any manners?!"

"We tried." Anna sighed.

"What is it, though?" I asked, walking over to it.

Lloyd opened the box and looked inside, he tilted his head to the side in curiousity.

"I dunno. What is it?"

I looked into the box, Anna snapped her fingers.

"That's right! I gave that to you...it's a rock I found in the lost woods..."

Lloyd picked it up and fingered it.

"Weird...it looks like a mini of those sphere things in the tower of mana."

It was pretty much a marble, and it did indeed resemble the giant ones in the light seal.

"I thought it looked strange..." Anna said.

Navi whirled around it, "This thing...it feels weird."

"Feels weird?" Lloyd and Anna asked.

"Yeah..." Navi said. "Huh, maybe it's just me..."

Lloyd shrugged and put it back in the box.

"Oh well, so...Dad, how long can I hang around with Mom?" Lloyd asked.

"Huh?" Anna asked. "Why? Do you have to go somewhere?"

"KRATOS has to." Navi said. "But Lloyd can stay for a while..."

"But I want to hang out with Dad, too!" Lloyd said. "I've only got three days..."

"Only three!?" Anna moaned.

"D-don't worry Mom...I'll make the most of it." he said.

"..." I sighed. "Stay with your mother, I'll head off-"

"Wait!" Lloyd said. "How about this, we stay the rest of the day here, and we'll leave tommorow?"

"So soon?" Anna sighed.

"Sorry Mom...it's just...y'know, it's been a while since I've gotten to travel with Dad."

I smiled, "Let's stay for the night. You two can get better aquianted."

"Well...I guess that's fine..." Anna sighed.

"I'll be back to visit eventually..." Lloyd said. "I promise, maybe for week!"

Anna smiled, "Heh. All right. Hey, want to go fishing?"

"At the pond?" I blinked. "I doubt there are any fish in there..."

"Not in the VILLAGE, moron!" she laughed. "In the woods! There's something I gotta show you!"

"Sounds fun!" Lloyd smiled.

"Let's go." I smirked.

We headed up into the woods, Anna led the way. It amazed me, I always had trouble navagating

this strange forest and she knew it like the back of her hand. As we traveled to where-ever she was

taking us, Lloyd told her about our adventure unifying the world.

"And after Colette lost her soul, Dad told he was an angel and-"

"Lloyd-!" I blurted. "Uh...Do...you have to tell her this part?"

"Huh? Why not?"

"Let him finish! It's getting interesting!" Navi dingled.

"Yeah!" Anna's fairy dingled.

"Heeeeyyy..." Lloyd stared. "Who's this other fairy? Has it been here the whole time?"

Come to think of it...I had forgotten it was there...

"Yes I've been here the whole time!" it said. "Just because Anna never introduced me..."

"Sorry..." Anna blushed. "Guys? This is Kilia."

Lloyd and I stared. I cleaned out my ear and shook my head.

"Kilia?" I asked.

"Kilia?" Lloyd repeated.

"Yeeeaaahh...?" the fairy asked. "Come on! Hurry up with the story!"

Kilia. As in the Desian-? Or was it the actual child, Kilia?

"..." I stared at Kilia.

"Um...Anna? Why is he staring at me...?" it shivered. "Can Lloyd tell more of the story? And I want to

hear about that 'Palmacosta' place! It kind of...seemed familiar..."

Of course...this was the child, the little girl, Kilia, not the Desian. If it had been the Desian 'Kilia'...she

would have remembered Sylvarant, because I knew her.

"Dad?" Lloyd said.

Since this Kilia didn't know any of this, but still seemed to think Palmacosta was familiar... This would

have to be Dorr's daughter, and since I didn't know her...she in turn didn't know Sylvarant.

"Dad? Hello?" Lloyd waved his hand in front of my face.

"Huh-? I'm sorry, yes?" I asked.

"...Is she...?" he started.

I shook my head, "It's all right, Lloyd, it's the real one."

"Huh?" Anna and Kilia asked.

"I'll...fill you in later." I told Anna.

"Oh...Stor-y! Stor-y!" Kilia chanted happily.

"Um..." Lloyd hesitated a minute. "And then..."

He continued on with his tale for a few minutes. (Anna chastised me after learning my betrayal.)

"Are we there yet?" I moaned, eager for Anna to be distracted.

"Don't try to-! Hey, we are!"

I looked up, not noticing that we had stopped. Lloyd was staring with his jaw hanging open, and I

believe my mouth was a gape as well. A lake, a beautiful lake being fed by a small waterfall. The water

was sparkling and you could see the fish darting around under it.

"Woah..." Lloyd blinked.

It was very beautiful, especially under the dappled light caused by the trees overhead.

"It...reminds me of home..." Anna smiled. "It reminds me of Luin..."

I walked forward suddenly, walking into the water a bit. I don't know why I did, but I felt like...

"Anna, did you ever take me here before?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"I mean...when I was...wasn't, me?" I looked at her.

"Uhm..." she closed her eyes. "Hm...yes, I think so."

"..." I looked at the water. "It's...familiar..."

"Hey! LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT FISH! HOLY SHIT!!"

"LLOYD!" Anna and I snapped at once.

"Woops, sorry..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck. "But seriously! That fish-!"

I looked in the water and went wide-eyed.

"That IS a big fish..." I pondered. "It looks about three feet long..."

"Huh?" Anna looked. "That's not-! THAT'S NOT A FISH!!!"

SPLOOSH!

"Ahem, excuse my interuption but would you perchance be Kratos?"

"A ZORA?!" Navi dingled. "HERE?!"

The Zora coughed, "The lake IS connected to our Domain, you know..."

"Wow!" Anna went starry-eyed. "I've never seen a Zora before!"

"Uh...Yes, I"m Kratos." I answered the Zora. "Why?"

"Oh, I simply wanted to thank you for saving our princess." it said. "Here, this might aid you."

The Zora handed me a bottle. I doubted the usefulness of it a minute before Navi spoke up.

"Good! You've got another one!" she said. "You can hold healing items in these!"

"Hm..Thank you." I told the Zora, after all, I can't use healing spells anymore...

"You're welcome." the Zora nodded, then dove back into the lake.

"Well, now that that's over- Wait a minute...KRATOS! YOU MET A PRINCESS?!"

I flinched suddenly. Why was she yelling at me...?

"Yeeeess...so what?" I said slowly.

"ARGH!" Anna groaned. "KRATOS! You know every rich chick that sees you falls in love!"

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked.

"Uh..."

"It's true!" Anna huffed. "Even back in Sylvarant! Whenever we passed by some rich women or- or-

MODELS and people like that, they'd always hit on him!!"

"..."

Anna smacked me, "WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT GOING NEAR RICH WOMEN?!"

"Ow!" I held my cheek. "H-hey! I had to-!"

"Yeah." Lloyd laughed. "And you had to get engaged to the Zora girl too."

I glared at Lloyd, "I didn't MEAN it! I needed the stone!"

"YOU. WHAT???!!!!" Anna roared.

"He had to get the stone to get the Master Sword, and he need the stone so he told her he'd marry-"

"I told her to get smothered in tartar sauce!" I said. "But these two-!"

Anna turned her wrath to Lloyd and Navi.

"YOU TWO WHAAAAAT?!"

"AH! M-MOM! PLEASE! NO!" Lloyd cringed.

"Don't hurt meeeee!!!" Navi flew under my hat.

In the end, Anna had promptly wounded Navi and Lloyd brutally. Later, we all headed back to the

village and stayed in Anna's house, choosing to ignore whatever we would hear tommorow about Anna

and I sleeping in the same room. ...If they were all kids, how did they gossip like adults, I wonder?

**Cheresea: Feel better, Freaky?  
**

**Me: Huh?  
**

**Cheresea: You were saying in 'Tasks of Spirit' that you felt bad because the story was getting **

**too 'deep' and you wanted something 'plain fun'. You feeling better?**

**Me: Sigh...It feels like writing has lost it's novelty...**

**Lloyd: Hah! 'Writing' and 'novel'ty! That's a good one!  
**

**Cheresea: O.O**

**Genis: What the-?! That's a horrible one!  
**

**Me: (Snickers) Wh-what?! Lloyd you dumbass-! Heheheh...that is kinda funny...heheh...**

**Genis: You have absolutely no tase.**

**  
Me: Sigh...I need something to make me excited about writing again...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Ahem, first of all I would like to apologize for the wait. I was kind of denied internet access for about a month.**

**Cheresea: Uh-huh...**

**Link: Excuses never get the job done.**

**Saria: You're so smart, Link!  
**

**Zelda: I thought I was the smart one...?**

**Chersea: Woah, what are you guys doing here?  
**

**Lloyd: Yeah...O.o...**

**Genis: O boy, I sense a really weird a/n intro...**

**Lloyd: Oh (bleep)**

**Link: No swearing Lloyd.**

**Saria: Yeah, no swearing.**

**Lloyd: What-? You're not the boss of me!  
**

**Cheresea: Well, technically, if we're going according to the story then...**

**Genis: Then Link is Kratos and Saria is Anna and Zelda is Mae...**

**Link: Exactly. Do as I tell you, Lloyd.**

**Lloyd: Dude, this is really messing with my head.**

**Zelda: Lloyd? Be nice and help your aunt with saying the disclaimer?**

**Lloyd: AGGGHHHH! Head...hurts...pain...**

**Saria: I'll help you.**

**Cheresea: I'll do it, Grama. Freakyanimegal owns nothing!  
**

**Me:...I agree with Lloyd, this is messing with me...**

**Genis: Well, at least Link didn't tell Lloyd to do his homework or-**

**Link: Don't slouch Lloyd, and you have a smudge on your cheek. (Wipes Lloyds cheek.)**

"Link? You up?"

I yawned, sitting up on my bed. Saria was in the doorway, walking in with a basket and a smile.

"Yeah..." I nodded sleepily. "Sorry, I do oversleep alot..."

"Heh heh." she smiled. "I brought you some fruit."

I stood up and took the basket from her, smiling slightly.

"Thanks, Saria." I said. "You're always looking out for me..."

Saria blushed, "O..oh... it's not that big a deal..."

"Yes it is. Thanks." I smiled. "Seeing as everyone else kinda...avoids me for some reason..."

Saria looked away.

"Why is that, Saria?" I asked. "Why does everyone treat me differently? Is...it because I don't have a fairy?"

"Oh Link," she laughed. "You'll get a fairy, just like everyone else. It's just...your time isn't there yet is all..."

"Oh..." I muttered. "...Thanks for being there for me, Saria."

"Y-you're welcome..." she blushed. "You're much nicer than a lot of people in this village..."

"What about Mido?" I asked softly. "He's always doing favors for you and stuff..."

Saria snorted.

_"Like I'd ever want to be around that jerk."_

I woke up at the familiar annoying 'dingle' of Navi buzzing around my ear.

"Come on, Kratos! Wake up!" she said.

"Mmph..." I groaned.

"Wake up, come on." I heard Lloyd say.

I sat up and stretched, looking around. Anna was still sleeping (Well, actually snoring) and Lloyd had just been

shaking me awake.

"Come on, Dad!" he scoffed. "Aren't we going to get a move on? Mr. 'Hero of Time'?"

"Don't call me that." I said, my voice sounding even more high and squeaky as I yawned.

Lloyd snickered. "It's so funny...you sound like Genis!"

"Watch it, or I'll kick you in the shins." I joked. "...But seriously, don't say that again."

"Heh heh." Lloyd grinned. "...Shouldn't we wake up mom and tell her goodbye..?"

Lloyd looked at Anna sadly. I realized it must be hard for him...he didn't want to leave his mother.

"...Lloyd, why don't you stay here for a while?" I said.

"What? But Dad..." Lloyd said. "Don't you need me to help you-?"

"I can take care of myself, Lloyd." I smirked.

"Well- but- I-" he looked at Anna, then at me.

"..." I smiled. "Spend time with her. Besides..."

I pulled out the ocarina of time, showing it to him.

"I'll be back." I said. "If I play the song of time before putting the master sword back in, I should be back here

about a day after I leave. Therefore I can get back to my 'quest' and still come back in time to spend time here."

Lloyd stared at me.

"Wait...I think I get it..." he scrunched his face up in concentration. "So...you'll go into the future and do your

'save the world' thing for a few days, then you'll put the Master Sword back and come back here...tommorow?

Wait..., no..., you-"

"No, no, you had it." Navi said. "Right, Kratos?"

"Uh...yes, but saying him say all that is confusing me..." I blinked.

Lloyd stared at me again.

"Are you feeling okay? You don't get confused easily..." he scratched the back of his head.

"Well excuse meee..." I pouted, crossing my arms. "Wait a minute..."

I smacked myself in the face. Wonderful, I was acting like a child again...

"Just stay here, I'll be back 'tommorow'." I said.

"...Be careful, Dad." he said.

I smiled at him, "I'll be fine."

I walked out of the small home and out into the sunshine. It was a beautiful day, really, but I didn't have time to

enjoy it. I took out the ocarina and played the prelude to light. I walked through the door of time and came to the

pedestal that held the Master Sword.

"Okay, Kratos! Pull the sword and we'll get back to work!" Navi dingled.

"We?" I muttered.

I walked up to the pedestal and pulled the sword out of the altar. A blue aura blew up from the ground and I felt

myself rapidly grow until I was seventeen years old. I sheathed the Master Sword and gave a sigh of

contentment.

"Ah...much better." I smirked.

"We've gotta head to the Water Temple, right?" Navi dingled.

"...Where exactly is that?" I asked.

"...Uh...I'm...not exactly sure." Navi turned blue.

"..." I rolled my eyes. "That's incredibly helpful, Navi...let's start with Zora's Domain."

We walked outside the temple and I unfurled my wings.

"It'll be faster flying, don't you think?" I asked.

"I'm going in your hat, if I fly that high up a bird will think I'm a snack." Navi said.

I chuckled, "I'm just glad I haven't seen that stalker-owl-"

"Hoo hoo! Having fun, Link?"

Oh damn.

"EEK!" Navi cried, swooping under my hat.

I turned to face the owl, evaporating my wings and sighing, "And here I thought you were gone for good..."

"Hoo hoo! If you're around, I'm gonna be around, Link!" the owl hooted.

"Stop calling me that." I said. "You know perfectly well my name is Kratos."

"Hoo?" the owl turned it's head around. "Is that so? You're a Kratos being a Link, or are you a Link being a

Kratos? Hoo?"

"..." I glared at him. "I'm Kratos Aurion of the twin worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla."

"Hoo." the owl turned it's head rightside up. "That's who you were, but is it who you are?"

"Huh?" Navi came out of my hat. "What are you getting at? This is confusing..."

"I'd like to know what your point is as well." I said.

"If you were to have come here as you were meant to be, you would have no memory of being 'Kratos', hoo." it

said, twirling it's head around. "You would be Link. You are Link now, and you were Kratos then. Hoo. So Link

would be the right name to call you."

"Stop beating around the bush! You're not answering my question!" I snapped.

"Hoo...eventually this problem will be corrected, and you will be only Link." it said. "A suggestion, hoo, perhaps

you should start being Link instead of Kratos, because eventually Link is all you will know yourself to be."

"..." I paled. "...Why do they have to fix it?"

"Hoo?" the owl twisted it's head upside down.

"Why can't I just keep my memories?" I asked. "You realize what you're telling me is going to happen? You're

telling me to become a different person! You're telling me to give up what I AM! You can't do that! It's..not right!"

I was amazed at myself for actually getting worked up about it. I mean, of course I was upset, but now I was

sounding like Lloyd?

"Hoo..." the owl sighed. "But Kratos...don't you see? There's nothing that you CAN do..."

There was a bright light, I had a sudden pain in my head and clutched it, stifling a yelp.

"K-kratos-?" Navi dingled.

"Ugh..." I rubbed my head. "What...was that?"

"Hoo. You'll learn to accept it, Link." the owl flew off.

"Accept it...?"

"Um...Kratos?" Navi dingled.

"What?" I looked at her.

"Um...nothing..."

I raised an eyebrow at her, then took my wings out again, my mind still on the bird's words. I didn't want to

forget...as much as I wish I could escape from the memories of things I've done...I needed to remember. I had to

remember if I wanted to do the right thing and not fall for the same mistakes again.

...If I make one more 'Lloyd-statement' he is going to pay.

At any rate, we flew up to the waterfall of Zora's Domain and entered through the passage.

"Woah!!" Navi dingled.

To find the entire place frozen like Celsius' dream home.

"What happened...?" I looked around. "How could everything-?"

That's when I saw something that startled me even more. My reflection.

"..." I paled.

My hair had turned blonde and it was now styled neatly with a part down the middle. My eyes had turned blue,

like sapphire colored spheres staring where my brown ones should have been.

"What-?!" I gaped. "What happened...?!"

I was an older version of the child I'd been in the dreams I had been having. If...this happened...and after all the

things Origin and the owl had said...was it really true? Was I not Kratos anymore?

Was I Link?

"..." I swallowed. "This is..."

"Kratos?" Navi dingled.

"...Let's go, we've got to see if there are any Zoras left." I stated.

I searched around for any of the fish-people. I found no one except the king...

"...He's frozen." I said. "He's frozen solid! What happened...?"

"Maybe Anna knows something?" Navi asked. "She always seems to know this kind of stuff."

"...Right."

I took out the ocarina and played the song, I heard Anna's voice echo in my head.

_"Hi Kratos! What's up?"_ she said.

"Anna, Zora's Domain is-"

_  
"Frozen?"_ Anna interrupted.

"Yes..how did you know?" I wondered.

_"You told me."_

"...I was about to, but I didn't-"

_"Huh? Oh, not YOU you, the other you."_ Anna said.

...What?

"I'm afraid you've lost me." I said.

_"Huh-? Oh yeah! Sorry, I guess I shoulda mentioned this...you're standing right next to me. You know...I mean, _

_did you think __'you' aren't here now? Wait...see, after you save the world- well, if you don't die, you go back to_

_ the past and live out the years __you missed while the other you goes off and saves the world and stuff."_

"...That doesn't make sense." I said.

_"Yeah, but we- the sages, kinda tweaked it so it works like that...Oh! Yeah, your sister's here too."  
_

"Mae's there-?!" I started.

_"Yeah, and how come you never told me you had a sister?"_

"Well-...look, can I talk to her? I've been worried where she's been."

I had, ever since Mithos chased her out of the castle I'd been worried sick about her.

_"Nope."_ Anna said. _"Sorry."_

"Why not-?" I started.

_"You won't let me." Anna said. "Do you know how much this is messing with me? Sheesh.."_

"..." I shook my head. "What?"

_"Look- oh, hold on, he wants to talk to you." _

I heard another voice and my heart almost stopped. My voice, not my adult voice but the voice I currenlty had.

_"Sorry, I can't let you talk to Mae. You know she tends to blab out stuff she shouldn't."_

"...How...?"

_"Mae's fine. We're in the chamber of sages, so we 'don't mess up the timeline'. Of course, we already DID but.."_

"I don't understand..."

_"You will. Though..." _I heard a sigh. _"This gets almost as dramatic as the Regeneration Journey..."_

Well, I could see that. Seeing as I was literally talking to myself.

_"Look. You need to unfreeze king fishstick- I mean, the Zora Ruler."_

"King fishstick...?" I wondered.

_"Listen, going through puberty TWICE is almost as bad as listening to Yuan's polka collection."_

I shuddered, "I...um...see...ahem..."

_"Well."_ Anna's voice again. _"Good luck! Hurry up and save the world! And don't die, because then I'll lose _

_both of you, bye! Love ya!"_

I was silent for a moment and then decided to get to business. Unfreeze the zora, hm? Well...

"Let's see if I can still do this...flame lance!"

Nothing.

"Shit." I swore. "...Hell pyre!"

Nothing.

"Damn it all, can't I do ANY spells anymore-?"

"What about that magic the fairy by the castle gave you?" Navi asked. "You know..."

Wait, that sl- fairy, did give me magic, didn't she? Hm...let's see if I can get something going...

"...YAH!"

I stuck my hand to the ground and fire blasted out in all directions. Not as powerful...but it would suffice.

Well, for someting else.

"He's still frozen?" Navi dingled.

"If that can't melt it, what can we do?" I asked.

"Hm...Oh! Wasn't there a shop in Kakiriko that sells 'bluefire'? I heard that can melt anything!"

"Well...I suppose we have no other option..." I sighed. "Shoud we go back to Kakariko?"

"Nope. I heard that they harvest it out where Lord Jabu Jabu is!" she said.

"...And you didn't tell me this before?" I asked.

"Sorry...it slipped my mind..." she trailed.

I sighed, "Let's get going."

Soon after, we found ourselves in the caverns behind the Zora shrine. The whale was gone and the water was

frozen over, how the whale could have gone anywhere in a shallow area like this was suspicious...unless, the

whale had died and been eaten...

I felt a small shiver.

The cavern was completely encompassed in ice, I hated it. Not because it was cold, but because everywhere I

looked-

"..."

'My' reflection was looking back at me.

"Kratos...it's okay..." Navi said, noticing I was distracted. "I'm sure everything will work out."

"..."

"I mean...after all, everyone you love is still here, right? Even if you don't remember the times before, you'll still

have your feelings for each other...right?" Navi said. "Besides...Anna and the others have to go through this."

I sighed, "I suppose.."

"By the way, KEESE!"

I slashed a hoard of bats as they flew toward me and then I made a break for it. After a while of searching through

the maze of icicles and pondering if whether this was Celsius' second home, I found myself trapped in a cave.

"Oh shi-"

I heard a howl and then a moment later I found myself facing off against a white wolfos. The battle was relatively

easy and a chest appeared, I opened it and found iron boots.

"Hm? What are these going to help with...? Oh well, you never know I assume..." I shrugged.

I heard something behind me, acting on instinct I turned and had the sword at the throat of the newcomer.

"Put the blade down, spilling my blood isn't something that would benefit you."

"Sheik.." I trailed, pulling back the sword. "I'm sorry to have startled you."

I flinched a moment, this had happened before, hadn't it? Hm...but...where...?

"Startled...isn't the word I would use." she said, looking me up and down.

I knew I had seen this before, but the memory wouldn't come to me... Where did it happen...? Who had I drawn

the sword to...? Hm...I'd have to ask Lloyd about it later..

"...As you've noticed, the Zora's are in need of help." she stated. "Mithos has frozen the Zora's domain and

cursed the Water Temple, which lies at the bottom of Lake Hylia-...you look troubled...what's wrong?"

"..." I shook my head. "Nothing...I'm just a little preocuppied."

"...Learn this song, it will take you to the temple..." she pulled out the harp.

I took out the ocarina and followed along. This melody was like water...a smooth and elegant legato. Serenade.

"...Are you ill?" she asked.

"I-" I started. "...What...are you...?"

Shiek had her hand on my forehead, she was looking into my eyes and I stood there still as a statue.

"Hm...you don't seem to have a fever..." she said. "I- ...why are you looking at me like that?"

"...Do I know you?" I asked.

"What?" she asked.

Those eyes were familiar somehow...

"...I leave you now."

Before I could say anything, she dissappeared.

"Well, at least we know what to do now- oh wait, we still didn't get the blue fire, did we?" Navi said.

I swore, "Let's look for it on the way out..."

We searched some more and then eventually found the fire. I scooped it into the bottle the Zora had given me.

Though I'm wondering how the fire didn't melt the bottle...then again, I had seen weirder things...

"Now we can unfreeze the king and maybe he can help us!"

"...I doubt the obese tuna can help much..." I muttered under my breath.

Nevertheless, I unfroze the fata- zora, the zora. He unfroze much faster then he moves, I might add.

"Oh! It's you! My dear little princess has gone off to the water temple to try to save our people!"

"Abigal's there?" I asked.

Yes! Maybe something will eat her and then Anna will stop hyping at me...

"Yes! Oh dear! Oh! I know! You! Go save my little girl!"

Before I could protest, the fish gave me another tunic, a blue one.

"This will let you breathe underwater! So go! Please!" he said.

Hm...perhaps it does pay to do something extra every now and then...

After leaving the iced domain (And avoiding any reflective pieces.) I played the Serenade of Water and found

myself at Lake Hylia. I equipped the water tunic and iron boots and sank to the bottom of the lake. It wasn't hard

to figure out the way in, after we went in...

"Hey, isn't that-?" Navi dingled.

Oh no. Tell me it isn't.

"Kratos? Is that you?" she turned to me.

Crap. It is. Oh well...at least she didn't remember about Sylvarant...at least, she didn't the last time...

"Oh! My angel came to help me!" she purred. "I always knew you couldn't stay away from me my love."

That could be Ruto OR Abigal talking. Either way, I'm annoyed.

"I'm not 'your love'." I snapped. "I'm only here to accomplish a few 'tasks'."

"Oh, well..." she huffed. "Fine then. Just make sure you keep out of my way! Got it?"

With that she went through a door which slammed behind her. I didn't need to have Navi tell me it was locked.

Oh well, at least that meant I didn't have to follow her.

"Huh...she seems even pushier than last time..." Navi dingled.

The water temple was nothing short of annoying. Adjusting the water levels, the monsters, the switches-

...Who designed these things? Even Volt's temple wasn't this annoying.

After a good half hour of making my way through the temple I have dubbed the 'Pronyma Temple' (Due to it

containg a slut and being a pain in the ass.) I found a strange room. There was a small level of glassy water and a

large tree in the center.

Navi hid in my hat, "I don't like this place..."

I had a strange feeling...like a mix between fear and a strange attraction. There was something about this place I

need to see...

I walked toward the tree and I heard a sound behind me. I turned on heel and gaped as my own reflection rose

out of the water behind me, dark and opaque. I drew the master sword and stepped back, startled. The...shadow, I

suppose is the right term, looked at me with an expression of disgust. It drew it's blade-

Which wasn't the Master Sword, but the Flamberge.

"..." I gasped. "That's-!?"

The rest of the shadow seemed to slide into another shape, like watching a plant sprout in double-time. It grew

taller, it's shoulders broadened, it's hair grew out into spiky shapes, from it's back seemed to sprout a swallow-

tailed cloak... Color flushed the shadow and my heart froze in my chest.

"...Pheh," it spat, glaring at me with reddish eyes. "I would think this wouldn't suprise you..."

"Why-?" I gaped. "Why is this-?!"

It snorted, it's auburn hair moving a bit, "Blame your fate."

**Lloyd: DUDE. O.o Dad's fighting HIMSELF?!**

**Me: Yep.**

**Cheresea: Yeah, that kinda makes sense.**

**Lloyd and Genis: HUH!?  
**

**Cheresea: It's simply a materialization of the inner conflict within his opposing personas.**

**Zelda: Oh. That makes sense.**

**Everyone else aside from Freaky: HUH?!  
**

**Me: Oh I love doing stuff like this...:D**

**Saria: Please review! BTW, Freaky has an art page up on fanartcentral dot net and would like you to look at it, **

**please Please? PLEASE? Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Sup peeps? At least I updated faster than last time, lol.**

**Cheresa:...**

**Genis:...**

**Me:...What?**

**Lloyd: CUT TO THE CHASE! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!  
**

**Me: Hm? Oh yeah, that, but first I need to send out a little want ad...ahem, I am planning on making a **

**'Legend of Kratos: ****Mithos' Mask' however...er...I still haven't beaten the game. . I got all the masks, and I **

**saw the ending on youtube, ****there's just ONE tiny detail I'm missing...can someone tell me, (in detail) what **

**exactly happens when you get the Fierce ****Diety mask? I was reading a fic with it and it seemed...evil...**

**Cheresea: So naturally, you want to include it.**

**Me: You betcha!**

**Cheresea:...**

**Genis: Then again, after you had that Nagas creep in 'Tasks of Spirit'-**

**Cheresea: I HATE her! That little-! (Shudders)...She's...(Shudders again)**

**Lloyd: WHO CARES ABOUT THAT?! THE FIGHT GOD DAMMIT! THE CHAPTER! THE CHAPTER!  
**

**Me: Oh yeah, I own nothing!**

"Blame your fate." it spat.

I could scarcely believe my own eyes. I was looking at myself, my auburn-haired, swallow-tail cloaked, adult

self. Navi flew out.

"What the-?! What's going on?!" she dingled.

Navi then made a critical mistake, she flew over to- him, to 'analyze' him. He grabbed her by the wings.

"AH! LET ME GO!!!" she struggled.

"Interesting little creature, isn't she?" he said, examining her. "A bit of a nag however..."

Normally, if someone said this I would have nodded in agreement. However, this was not 'normally'.

"..." I gaped.

"OW! THAT HURTS! STOP IT!!" Navi struggled as he held her up to his face.

"Put her down-!!" I blurted.

He looked at me with nochalant eyes, they were oozing arrogance. ...My Origin...were my eyes really like

that...?

"...Fine then." he released her.

Navi flew over to me, trembling. "Kratos, what's going on...?!"

"You still call him that?" he asked.

My blood chilled, Navi flapped silently.

"...Why shouldn't I...?" she asked.

"Tch." he snorted. "Just look. Look at yourself, 'Kratos'."

The thin layer of water around us rose up into a wall next to me, turning into a type of mirror. I didn't turn to it,

I didn't want to see...

"..." he sneered. "You won't even face it?"

Before I knew what was happening, he had a hold on me. His left hand gripped my hand that held the Master

Sword, and his right had a hold on the back of my neck, forcing me to face the mirror. My face paled and a felt

a horrible feeling drive through me. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long ears...there wasn't a trace of what I was left...

"Where is 'Kratos'?" he hissed. "Hm? Well?"

"..." I quivered.

He leaned forward and put his head next to mine, looking in the mirror with me. There was the blonde hylian,

and right next to him was the auburn-haired Seraph. For a moment, I didn't know which reflection was my own.

"You're forgetting who you are...who you _were_... aren't you?" he stated. "Do you even remember? All you

went through...?"

"..." I remained silent, horrified by the reflection.

"All you did..." he muttered, looking sad. "The things you went through with Lloyd and the others...fighting

Mithos..."

"..."

His eyes lit up with fury, "You just threw it all away."

"No!" I blurted. "I didn't-! I didn't-!"

"Don't you know how you died...?" he hissed.

"..." I paled, looking at the ground. "..."

"Don't you?!" he growled.

"No." I admitted. "I don't."

"...Pathetic..." he sneered. "Absolutely, pathetic..."

I felt rage boiling inside me, "Stop it."

"Why should I? You coward...you gave up on everything..."

"No I-"

"Yes you did." he snarled. "When Anna died...what did you do? You went back to being Mithos' little

puppet. Am I wrong?"

"..."

"When you finally found Lloyd again, what did you do? You were unable to even TELL him who you

were...afraid of rejection."

I gritted my teeth.

"Then what did you? You left him. You left your SON."

"I-" I started, my blood beginning to boil.

"Then you did the most pathetic thing of all. One even your son would be ashamed of you for..."

I started to say something, anger bursting out of me, then-

"You ended your own life."

The rage evaporated in an instant, I felt hollow, then filled again with a feeling of dread.

"...I...what...?" I whispered.

"After all you 'learned' from Lloyd...you still rathered you die then live on Derris-Kharlan."

No...no that- I wouldn't have- would I? No...that was...

"...No." I said.

"You deny it?" he hissed.

"..."

"Look. Look at the reflection." he snapped.

I didn't move.

"I said LOOK." he wrenched my head up.

"Gah-!"

A teenage blonde with a look of agony and a cold redhead man.

"...Why do you want to hang onto me, hm?" he said. "Why do you want to remember? All the things you've

done..."

I was starting to shake, I wanted to be anywhere, anywhere but here.

"The lives you took in the war...you couldn't save Martel, you couldn't stop Mithos from losing himself in his

madness, you couldn't save Anna...you killed Anna, with your own sword. You betrayed your only

child...why do you want that?"

For the first time, I actually thought he had a point. After all I had done...after all the things I wished I could

take back, a million and a million times over, perhaps...it was better I did forget. Perhaps...I would be

happier...if I just...gave in...

"Let it go." he said. "Just forget all of that...give up, become a different person, take a clean slate...forget..."

"..." I tried to look away.

"...You don't realize the chance you have here. It's what you want, isn't it?"

I didn't know what I wanted. I think there was a part of me somewhere, desperately crying out to fight, but it

was soft, strangled. Forgetting started to seem much, much easier...

"..." he closed his eyes. "Have you made your choice?"

I wasn't listening, I was trapped in the color of the blue eyes, as if they were swallowing me...

_"Link! Come on! Let's go to the pond!" Saria smiled._

_"Oh great, it's Link..." Mido griped._

_**"Dad!" a red fairy cried. **_

_"Link, I need to ask this of you." Zelda bowed her head._

_"My mother said I had to give this to who I marry, okay, Link?" Ruto winked._

_**"Kratos!" a brunnette girl shouted in glee.**_

_"You're a courageous boy, you'll do well, Link." Impa smiled softly._

_"You are sworn brother, Link!" Darunia beat his chest._

_**"Brother!" a red-head girl cried.**_

_"You! Boy!" Ganondorf cried. "Where did Princess Zelda go?!"_

_"Wake up, Link." Rauru said._

Some were familiar, some weren't, but I wasn't sure which was which...

My head felt clouded.

"...An answer, 'Kratos'?" a voice said.

There was a long silence, my head felt funny. I realized I was staring into a mirror and someone was next to

me. I looked at his refection and I was perplexed, bewildered even, what was...?

"...Who's...?" I frowned. "'Kratos'?"

"Well who are you?" he asked me.

"My name's Link." I answered the man.

The man smirked, I didn't see what was so funny about my name...who was this guy anyway? And...WAIT!!

"HEY! Let go of me!!" I cried.

I managed to slip away from the man's grip. He calmly drew a sword and faced me.

"Prepare youself. I give no quarter."

In a flash he was attacking me, I barely managed to block his sword. Who was this nut and why was he a

ttacking me?!

"Sonic thrust!" he drove his sword toward me.

"Gah!"

I barely leapt out of the way in time. I rolled behind him and attempted to attack his back, but he turned to face

me again. The red sword came at me and I just managed to get the shield in front of it when then he was at my

back again. For several minutes I was guarding against his onslaught.

"LIGHT SPEAR!"

He knocked me up into the air, but I managed to backflip over and land on my feet. He charged at me again

and I blocked him with my sheild. Then, to my horror, he was behind me with his sword ready to slice through

my spine.

"You lose." he hissed.

I reacted in a second, I ducked under his sword and drove the Master Sword up through the bottom of his

head and up through his skull.

"Ugh...!!!!" he went wide-eyed.

He fell to his knees as I stood upright, the he started...laughing? A sad, bitter laugh...

"Heh heh..." he smiled weakly. "I suppose...I'm...no longer suppossed to...exist..."

He fell forward onto his face, then melted into the water around us.

"..." I paled. "What...was that about...?"

I suddenly felt as if I had been impaled through my heart. I dropped the sword and clutched my chest, it was

hard to breathe. Then I felt a sharp pain in my head, that coupled with the pain in my body made me fall onto

the ground. Pain...and...sorrow...? For what? Navi flew toward me slowly, looking wary.

"Hff...hfff..." I looked at her.

"...Who...are you?" she asked.

"Huh...?" I blinked. "Don't be silly..., I'm Link... You know that."

"...'Link'..." she dingled.

I took a few deep breathes as the pain slowly faded. I stood up and looked at Navi.

"We've only been through about a million battles, you should remember me." I said, annoyed.

"Er...well...yeah. Yeah. Of course I do...it's just that...um, nevermind..."

Her wings drooped, she turned blue. I wondered what she was so down about...

"...What's the matter, Navi?" I asked her.

"...I'll...be in your hat..." she muttered.

She flew under my cap without another word. ...What was going on around here? As much as I asked later,

Navi still wouldn't say anything to me...what did I do? Nothing out of the ordinary... Eventually, as we kept

going through the temple I finally found the boss key and went into the monster's lair, but there was...nothing

but water...

"...OH NO!" Navi flew out. "WATCH OUT!!!"

I drew back just in time as a huge blob rose out of the water, the only solid part it's huge nuclei.

"What the-?!"

"Hit the nuclei!!!" Navi cried. "You need to get it out of it and attack it!!"

"How do I do that?!" I gaped.

"Don't you have the hookshot Dante gave you?!"

Oh. Yeah, that would make it easier...

I shot the hookshot out at the Nuclei and it came to me. I attacked it, stabbing it and slashing it ruthlessly. I

had to do this several times before it finally dissolved into the air, the nuclei exploding.

"Whew..." I wiped my forhead. "That was a bit hard..."

"Yeah..." Navi trailed.

"Are you all right?" I asked her. "You've been acting kinda strange..."

"Oh...nothing..." she whimpered.

What was going on here...? I shook it off and walked into the blue light. Soon I found myself back in the

Chamber of the Sages. I looked around and-

"Good job, my angel!"

Oh no. It's her. Fish-girl.

"Here's your reward!"

A blue medallion appeared and I took it, I decided to make an excuse to get the hell away from her when-

"Now, I suppose I should fulfill my promise to marry you."

I yelped like a little girl, thank the goddesses only Navi's here.

"But," Zora girl sighed. "I can't, it'll have to wait until after you save Hyrule. Just come back to me, m'kay?"

I dissappeared before I had to answer. The thought of leaving her there without ever coming back sounded

very good.

"Whew...I got the third one." I smiled, showing Navi the water medallion.

"Um...yeah, good job..." she dingled. "Shouldn't you um...go back to the past now?"

"What?" I blinked. "Why?"

Wait...oh yeah...I told...someone, I'd go back to the Kokiri village... Something using the song of time...

"Just do it." Navi said.

"Hm..Okay..." I trailed.

After playing the prelude to Light, I put the sword back in the pedestal after using the Song of Time. Then I

began my trek back home. Navi was really quiet the entire time...it bothered me. Usually she never shut up.

When I finally got back home I found something strange. Two people were in my house, there was a

brunnette girl and a guy in red. Who the-? The girl looked at me for minute, puzzled, then went wide-eyed as if

she recognized me. The girl ran up to me and hugged me tightly. Who the...?! The teenager in red smiled.

"Bout time you got here!" he grinned. "But...what happened to your hair?"

"Um..." I gently pushed the girl away.

"...Kratos, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but uh...One. What are you doing in my house, Two. What's 'Kratos' and Three, Who ARE you?!"

They looked at me a minute, then at each other, then back at me.

"...HAHAHAHAH!" the girl laughed. "Since when did you get a sense of humor?"

"Wow!" the boy laughed. "Never thought I'd see the day!!"

Navi flew out of my hat.

"Anna, Lloyd." she said. "I have bad news. Really bad news."

What the-? Navi knew them? What was going on here...?

"Huh? What is it, Navi?" the girl, Anna I presume, asked.

"...Kratos doesn't remember you."

"...W...what are you talking about?" Lloyd whispered.

"Who's Kratos?" I asked Navi, getting fusturated.

"Something happened to him in the Water Temple." Navi said. "He fought this guy that looked like him, like

an old him with this purple outfit and now he...now he...now he's 'Link'..."

"Navi? What ARE you talking about? What's going on? Who are these people?" I asked, getting fusturated.

"...What do you mean...he's...'Link'...?" Lloyd whispered.

"...Oh no...oh no..." Anna whispered. "No...no no no...NO!"

I had no idea why she started crying.

**Lloyd and Cheresea: NO! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM, FREAKY!?  
**

**Me: Uhm...Please review before they kill me!!  
**

**Lloyd: All right, I'll chop her arms off and you pluck her eyebrows.**

**Me: GAH! PLUCK MY EYEBROWS?! TORTURE! TORTUREEEEE!!!  
**

**(I run and the Aurion's attempt to murder me.)**

**Genis: You bet she's going to get more than those two trying to kill her...**


	17. Chapter 17

**GGAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!  
**

**(I run and trip on a rock, Cheresea puts sword to my neck.)**

**Cheresea: I've got her, Dad!  
**

**Lloyd: Yes! You'll pay for what you did, Freakyanimegal!!!  
**

**Me: AH! NO! WAIT! PLEASE! LET ME SAY SOMETHING FIRST!!!**

**Lloyd: What?**

**Me: Look...have I ever had a story with a sad ending?  
**

**Lloyd: Yeah-...no...not one that wasn't classified as 'angst'...**

**Me: Yeah! And Cheresea, when I had you 'killed', what happened?  
**

**Cheresea: Well-! Well...the summon spirits saved me.**

**Me: Yeah! And Lloyd! In 'Plot Twist' I had a hell of a lot of bad things happen to you, **

**but you're fine now! Right? Right?**

**Lloyd: Er...that's true...**

**Me: You don't want to know HOW many people freaking were mad at me over **

**Cheresea 'dying' and all your stuff...**

**Genis: That explains the angry mob of reviewers behind you...**

**Me: (Gulp) Trust me! Have I ever wrote a sad ending?! One chapter! One more chapter **

**and if you're not happy...**

**Cheresea: We gut you.  
**

**Me: (Shaking) I own nothing! Don't hurt me...**

Anna started crying, Lloyd looked at her, then at me. He looked horrified at first, then he looked

furious.

"Y...you..." he growled. "YOU LITTLE BASTARD!!"

"Wha-? AH!!"

He slammed me upside the head hard, knocking me onto the floor. Before I could react he

grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and then slammed me against the wall. Hard.

"Gah-!!"

The boy held me up against the wall, growling in my face.

"What the HELL did you do?!" he shouted, his eyes were tearing up. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"I-!" I started.

"Lloyd-! Stop!!" Navi cried. "Hurting him isn't going to help anything!!"

Lloyd took several deep breathes, then dropped me onto my feet. I backed away from him. Why

did he do that...? What was...?

"It's not true..." I heard someone mumble.

We looked at Anna, she was crying silently and muttering to herself.

"It can't be...it can't be true..."

She walked up to me slowly, locking eyes with me. Big brown eyes filled with tears.

"You...remember me, don't you...?" she whispered. "You have to..."

The girl put her hand on my cheek. I felt a jolt go through me and my mouth dried. Who...was

this...? And why did I feel like...why did I feel like I knew her? No...I felt like I...? No that was

silly...right?

"..." I gaped at her wordlessly.

Those eyes...big brown, beautiful eyes...

"Kratos..." she whispered.

I flinched, it seemed as if an explosion had went off. A burst of light, I closed my eyes and then

opened them again. The girl in front of me now had green hair and emerald eyes. Then they

turned brown again. ...Saria?!

"...You're..." I whispered. "I...I know you..."

She gasped, "You do?!"

"I...I..." I backed away from her, shaking.

I looked at her, then at Lloyd. Why did he...he reminded me of someone but... WHAT WAS

GOING ON?!

"Are you-?" Navi started.

I ran outside as fast as my legs could carry me. I kept running until I found myself at the Great

Deku Tree's...corpse. I looked up at him and my eyes started to water. Those people...and in

front of me...something I wasn't good enough to prevent...

Wait...a giant...tree...?

_"Arise, giant Kharlan tree!!"_

I gasped in shock. I was standing in a clear area looking up into the sky. A person with wings...?

Wait...red...was that...Lloyd? There was a bright flash and when it cleared the figures in the sky

were gone.

_"...I'm going to check on them." _a voice said.

Voice...it sounded very familiar...

_"All right," _a woman with silver hair said. _"...We finally did it..."_

_"...That we did." _the first voice said. _"I'll meet you all there."_

Suddenly, I began moving. I didn't make myself do it or anything, I just moved. Like I was

dreaming. I was...going through the sky?! Flying?! I was stunned, but I didn't get to stand it long

before I was on the ground again. There were three people talking...one of them was definitely

Lloyd. A tall woman had just asked him to name the giant tree behind her.

_"This tree's name is...Yggdrasill!" _Lloyd said.

_"Yggdrasill...?" _the woman blinked. _"...If that is what you wish."_

The woman dissappeared, and the huge tree did as well. Lloyd looked around and then looked in

my direction.

_"...When did you get here?" _he asked.

_"...Why, 'Yggdrasill'?" _the voice from before asked.

_"...Because...the tree connects everything. Like half-elves are the ones that connect _

_humans to elves. I thought...Martel, and even __Mithos, wanted discrimination to _

_end...maybe the thing that connects us is the thing that will help us all in the end." _he said.

_"I __thought...Mithos and Martel both started out trying to find the things that tie us _

_together. So...I named it after them."_

There was a silence. Then an arm extended from my line of sight and rested it's hand on Lloyd's

shoulder.

_"I'm...very proud of you, Lloyd." _the voice said.

_"...Heh heh." _he grinned. _"Thanks."_

That's when I finally realized it.

That voice was mine.

"...What...the...?" I gasped.

I was back in the Deku Tree's Meadow, but I knew it hadn't simply been a dream.

"Kratos-! Er, 'Link'!!" I heard a dingle.

I looked around and Navi flew up to me, looking tired.

"Hff...hff..." she panted. "Boy you run fast..."

"...Navi..." I said. "What's going on?"

"Hff...hff...what?" she dingled. "You think I know...?"

Close after came Anna and Lloyd. I made a move before either of them could touch me again.

"You!" I said to Lloyd. "You...do you have...?"

"What? Do I have what...?"

"...Do you have wings?" I asked, feeling stupid.

"...Y-yeah..." he said slowly, looking stunned.

"...Show me." I said, locking eyes with him.

He glowed for a second as feathers began to circle around him. Then he sprouted wings, huge

green-blue wings.

"Wow..." I gaped like an idiot. "Are those REAL?!"

I ran over and tugged on the wings, yep, they were real.

"Ow-! Hey-!" Lloyd started.

"What are they MADE of?!" I asked, poking them. "How'd they fit into your back?!"

"I-! Well...I really don't know..." he blinked. "I never thought of that..."

I backed away from him, looking him up and down. Lloyd...Lloyd Irving... I knew him. I know it.

"...I...know you, don't I?" I asked. "Both of you...I know you, right?"

Anna looked away from me, Lloyd was speechless for a few moments. The teen made his wings

dissappear and then knelt down to eye-level with me, looking awkwardly serious.

"...If I told you that you did, what would you do?" he asked. "Even if you remembered nothing

about us?"

"..." I stared at him.

It was silent for a few minutes, Navi was drifting around awkwardly.

"...Well?" he asked.

"...I'll remember." I said. "I'll make myself remember, because I need to remember."

"...Why?" he questioned.

"...Because I care about you two." I said. "I...I remember that much."

"..." he smiled sadly. "Then let's get started."

I looked at Anna, she looked at me a second before turning away again, trying to hide the

remnants of tears. The tears were my fault...for what, I didn't know...but I had to find out.

"Okay...stay here a sec." he said.

He ran off and began whispering something to Anna, I couldn't really hear them so I was left in

the dark.

"What are they saying?" I asked Navi.

"I dunno..." Navi trailed. "I bet they're trying to think of ways to spark your memory."

"Wait..so you know about this too?" I asked her.

"...You don't remember anything, do you?" she sighed. "Not even the Water Temple?"

"I remember the water temple, we were just there." I said.

"No, not that...er...well..." Navi drooped.

"Okay!" Lloyd walked over. "I'm going to say something, and you tell me the first word in your

head, okay?"

"Huh? How is that going to help?" I asked.

"Well, the Professor uses it for sparking memory so- ah! First word! Professor!" he said.

Professor? Uhm...

"Silver?" I said.

"Silver? Silver what?" he prodded.

"Uh...I dunno...hair?" I frowned.

He grinned, "Was that the FIRST word that came into your head?"

"Uh..." I thought a minute. "Yeah, actually..."

Anna came up to me, "My turn...Desian."

Desian? What the hell was a Desian-? Wait...

"Squinty eyes?" I wondered.

"Kvar." Anna said sternly.

I felt a jerk go through me. I felt very mad all of a sudden. Anna looked at Lloyd and smiled.

"He remembers SOMETHING at least..." she said sadly.

"Remember anything else, yet?" Lloyd poked me.

"Uhm..." I bit my lip. "No...I don't think so..."

"Shoot." he griped. "Hm..."

"Oh!" Anna said. "I have an idea! Let's go back to the treehouse real quick!"

She grabbed my hand and ran off, dragging me behind her with Lloyd running along after us. We

ran past the rest of the Kokiri, who looked at us as if we were crazy. I followed Anna up the

ladder and she ran to my dresser. The girl scavanged through my things a bit, and then seemed to

find what she was looking for.

"Aha!...Okay, look at this okay? Closely..." she showed me the object.

A sphere, it looked a bit like a marble. Actually, it looked alot like those orbs in the tower of

mana- The what?

I shook my head, "What the...?"

"Anything?" Anna asked hopefully.

"Uhm..." I shook my head again. "This thing...er..."

I closed my eyes and shook my head for the third time, trying to shake off the weird feeling I had

gotten.

She sighed, "Shoot...Lloyd! What do we do?!"

"Uh..." he rubbed the back of his neck. "Damn it..."

I felt a weight on my chest. Seeing them sad was making me feel badly. Very badly. Guilty

even...but for what? What did I do?

"...Are you okay?" Navi asked me.

"...Please," I said to them. "Don't...don't give up! I...I promise! I'll do it! I will!"

"..." Lloyd gaped at me.

"...What?" I asked.

"...Heh heh." he smiled. "You sounded like me right there..."

"I did?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"Yeah," he grinned. "Okay! Let's do what he says and not give up!"

Anna nodded. "But what should we do? Even if we just tell him, I have a feeling it wouldn't..."

Lloyd patted the side of his leg, a thinking look on his face.

"Hm..."

"Maybe a familiar face?" Navi asked. "I mean, is there anyone who knew him longer than you

two did?"

"Anyone who knew him longer-?...Heheheheheh..." Lloyd grinned.

"...Lloyd. What are you thinking?" Anna demanded.

"Well...it's worth a shot. Right?" he smirked.

"What is?" I wondered.

"Lloyd! Didn't we already mess with the natural order of things as it is?!" Anna cried.

"Weren't you the one that said: 'Screw the timeline'?" he tsked. "What have we got to lose?"

"...Oh fine." she huffed. "But I don't want him here long! I never could stand that pony-tailed

mother-"

"Who? What? What about the timeline?" I asked, fusturated. "This is hurting my head..."

"Just hold on a second, okay?" Lloyd grinned mischieviously.

He went outside a moment. Anna and I were left waiting inside for several minutes, Navi

twittering around.

"Anna? What's he doing?" Navi asked her.

"You'll see..." she sighed.

A second later, Lloyd reentered looking quite smug about something.

"Okay, it took a lot to do it but I did it." he grinned. "I- HEY!"

He looked behind him and realized no one was there, he stuck his head out the door and began

shouting.

"GET IN HERE!"

"No way in heaven or hell." a curt voice responded.

A really sarcastic, arrogant tone...'ponytail' Anna said...hm...who-?

"Oh come on! You're his best friend!"

"Who the hell told you that?" the voice snapped.

"He did, before he went to Derris-Kharlan."

I shuddered. Derris- what? Whatever it was, it didn't sound very pleasant at all...

"...I hate you, Lloyd Irving." the voice sighed. "Fine! Impudent brat..."

A man came into the room, he was not much taller than Lloyd and he was wearing a cape. He

had pointed ears, though not long enough to be Hylian, and blue hair tied back into a ponytail.

The stranger walked in and looked around. He spotted Anna and visibly flinched as she glared at

him in a way that suggessted she wished him dead.

"U-uhm..." he stammered. "Ahem...nice to see you again- GAH!"

Anna kicked him hard in the side of his leg, causing him to swear loudly.

"YOU LITTLE-!" he began.

"That's for last time you bastard!" she snapped.

"Grrr!!!!" he growled.

"Yuan!" Lloyd snapped. "Knock it off!"

"WHAT?!" he snarled. "She KICKED me-!!"

"Yuan...?" I repeated.

The man looked at me. He lost all the rage in his face and it was replaced with a look of

suspicion and a trace of curiousity.

"...Lloyd, who is this?" he pointed at me.

"That's...him." Lloyd muttered.

"...What?" Yuan looked at him. "Who is?"

"Him." Lloyd pointed at me. "He's...you know..."

Yuan snapped his head around to stare at me. His jaw fell open slightly. I backed up from him,

feeling uncomfortable.

"...Lloyd, what the hell happened?" Yuan asked. "Memory problems are one thing, but THIS-?"

"If I told you, would you have believed me?" the teen sighed.

"...Anna being a child is one thing, but Kratos turning into...?" he looked at me.

"...Who's 'Kratos'?" I asked. "I keep hearing that name everywhere...and...who exactly are you?"

Yuan flinched, "You-? Oh for the love of..."

The man sighed deeply, then looked at Anna and Lloyd. They made faces that said 'I told you so'

in response.

"...I'm going to need therapy for this..." he moaned. "All right then..."

He turned to look at me. That's what he did for a good few moments until-

"YOU'RE AN ARROGANT SON OF A BITCH ASS!!!" he pointed a finger in my face.

Everyone went bug-eyed.

"Wh-what?! What was that for-?!" I gaped.

"Shit, if that doesn't work, what will...?" he sighed. "I used to tell him that all the time..."

Lloyd smacked himself in the face and Anna bashed her head against the wall.

"You're bizarre..." I stared at the man.

"Well, at least he remembers he doesn't like me..." he rolled his eyes.

"Now what do we do?" Anna sighed.

"Uhm..." Navi trailed. "We could have a lunchbreak?"

We looked at her, Yuan stared.

"What's this? A fairy? The hell...so Mithos wasn't the only one."

Then something ELSE weird happened.

I laughed.

"Hah hah!" I grinned. "Yeah, Mithos was-...wait a minute...uhm...who...?"

"...Yeah, Mithos." Yuan said. "Blonde, wore tights? Looked like a damn girl?"

"Wore bracelets?" Lloyd joined in.

"A complete asshole!" Anna huffed to no one in particular.

"Rainbow wings?" Lloyd said.

"High pitched, annoying little laugh and derives satisfaction from kicking people when they're

down?" Yuan said dryly.

Wait...that actually seemed to...

_"If it weren't for my sister's wishes to spare your life, I'd kill you right _

_now...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!"_

A blonde boy- well, he looked female, was kicking Yuan on the ground. It was dark and we

were in front of a house carved out of a mountain. I felt the hard ground beneath my cheek and

realized I was watching this from the ground.

_"W-what are you-?!"  
_

Lloyd's voice, from above me. I wanted to move but...it felt like I had been...struck by lightning

or- Struck by lightning?! Th-that's it!!! Yuan had- he had electrocuted me! Wait...no, not me, he

was trying to get Lloyd and then I...

I got in the way...but why? Why did I...?

"Hey, are you okay?!" I heard someone shout. Anna maybe? Or Navi?

_"Kratos, release Origin's seal or Lloyd will die right here."_

_"Kratos! Who are you...?"_

_**"Go to the temples, Link."**_

_"I still can't call you Dad..."_

_"Kratos!"_

_"I had Pronyma keep tabs on Kratos."_

_**"Link, together we can get the spiritual stones!"**_

_"Kratos, I need you to kill me..."_

_"You have a suprising breadth of knowledge, Kratos..."_

_"Wait! Kratos is with them, retreat for now!"_

_"Goodbye...Dad!"_

Dad...? Lloyd was calling someone Dad...no...he was calling...?

Lloyd was my...?!

"Kratos! Please! Get up!!!"

I sprang upright, I guess I had fallen on the floor at some point. Anna was kneeling next to me,

Yuan and Lloyd were close by her, looking at me with expressions of concern. I blinked and then

it hit me like a load of bricks.

"...Anna?" I looked at her. "...Lloyd? Yuan? ...Wh...what did I...?"

"...Kratos...?" Anna whispered.

"..." I looked away. "I...wait a second...YUAN! I NEVER GOT YOU BACK FOR TELLING

LLOYD, DID I?!"

"Hah! It worked- oh shit." he paled.

I pulled an Anna and kicked the side of his leg that wasn't covered by the armor plates.

"GAH-! YOU FUCKING BRAT-!"

"Hmph." I snorted. "Blame your fate."

"...No way..." Lloyd whispered. "...Dad's back!"

The next thing I knew, Lloyd and Anna had both wrapped me in crushing hugs.

"..." I blushed. "A-all right...that's enough..."

"Well, isn't that CUTE?" Yuan snapped, rubbing his leg.

"Yep!" Navi dingled.

"...Stupid fairy." Yuan muttered.

When Anna and Lloyd finally released me, I said something before they could.

"I need to apologize." I said. "I...it was my fault."

"What was?" Anna asked.

"...I lost my memory because I ran away." I said, ashamed. "I..."

Navi decided to help me out here.

"There was some kind of spell in the water temple, it messed with his head." Navi said.

I nodded, "And...I..."

"...Dad..." Lloyd said.

"...It was my fault. I ran away, just like I always did." I stated slowly. "I ran away from my

problems, like I always have..."

I had always run away...I let Mithos go insane, I ran from Cruxis, when Anna died, I ran from

what I knew was the right thing to do, I ran from my own memories...and if what I heard was

true, I had ran from life in Derris-Kharlan.

"...I won't do it again." I said. "Never again. I'm going to do what you always did, Lloyd. I'm

going to face my problems...though I won't make a habit of making speeches like this again, so I'll

sum it up. I'm going to stop running."

"...Wow." Yuan said. "If only I could have recorded that..."

"Be quiet, Yuan." I said automatically.

I turned to the mirror in the room, seeing my reflection again. Blonde, blue-eyed, long eared...

"...Dad?" Lloyd said.

I walked up to the mirror, looking at my new reflection. This was me...I knew it. Now it was

me...Well, not quite yet.

"...What are you doing...?" Anna asked.

I mussed with my hair a little, fashioning it the way I wanted it. Once I was done, I turned to face

them with a smile.

"..." Lloyd blinked.

I had managed to get my hair spiky again, putting a bit of it over my eye as I was accustomed.

I smiled, "This is more like it, I think."

If Origin- Rauru, wanted me to be Link. Fine. I'd be Link. But I'd be Kratos too. Either way, I

was me. If I was some blonde, blue-eyed Hylian, I was going to be it my own way. ...Maybe I

_was_ the one Lloyd got it from...

"...Heh heh." Lloyd grinned. "Yep! It's just not right without your hairstyle, right?"

"...Heh." I smirked. "No, it's not."

"You're still a Mithos-sized kid wearing a skirt." Yuan said.

"..."

"...Kratos? Why are you looking at me like that-?"

"HYAH!"

All right, maybe it wasn't the smartest thing using Din's fire inside a treehouse, but the flames only

caught HIM...

"GAAAAAHHH!!!!" Yuan quickly used a water spell on himself. "...K...KRATOS!!!!!!!"

"Hah hah hah hah!" Anna laughed.

"Kratos!! You shouldn't play with fire!!!" Navi dingled.

"I'm ten years old and I'm holding a sword, a boomerang, bombs, and a slingshot." I said.

"...O-oh...yeah..."

"Asshole..." Yuan muttered, wringing water out of his hair.

"I thought it was funny." Anna smirked.

"You thought it was funny when you pushed me in the lake!!!" Yuan snapped at her.

"That's because you called me fat!" Anna snapped.

"You were PREGNANT!"

They continued arguging back and forth, Lloyd looking very confused. I smiled the entire time. I

felt very...light, like a weight I had on my heart for such a long time had been lifted off. I realized it

was the weight I'd had on me for thousands of years.

...Maybe a new start wasn't that bad, but that didn't mean I'd sacrifice my memories. I could do

this without running away. I will.

"...Hey, Dad?"

I shook off my daze and looked up at him.

"Yes?" I asked.

"...Ah, nevermind." he smiled. "But um...there's something I've been wanting to do for a while..."

"Huh? What's that-?"

"THIS!!"

To my horror, Lloyd began to do something that delivered feelings of both fear and delight.

He was tickling me.

"Ah-! AHAHAH-! S-stop i-it-!! LLOYD-! AHAHAHAH!" I cried.

"Hah hah!" Lloyd grinned. "I've ALWAYS wanted to do this!!!!!!"

"S-stop-!! A-anna! Make h-him s-stop!!!!!" I laughed nonstop.

I was barely standing from laughing so much and Lloyd still wouldn't stop. I'd have his head for

this. When Lloyd finally stopped tickling me, I was on the floor and attempting to catch my

breath.

"H-hahahhaah...! Hee hee...! Wooo..." I whistled.

Lloyd was laughing, leaning against the wall, "That was HILARIOUS!!!"

"Why did you DO that...?" Yuan stared at him.

"Well, I've been wanting to ever since I saw him small like that." Lloyd grinned. "The first time I

saw him, I didn't have fingers so I couldn't, and all the other times I managed to stop myself...but

I just couldn't help it! Especially since he was all down and stuff..."

I glared at Lloyd, still trying to shake off the delirium.

"I...am going...to kill you..." I said.

"Aw, not yet, right?" he smiled. "You still said we were going to hang out before I had to leave..."

"That reminds me...Lloyd?" Yuan looked at him.

"Uhm...what?"

Yuan back handed Lloyd.

"WHAT DID WE TELL YOU ABOUT MESSING WITH THE SPACE-TIME

CONTINUIM?!" he roared.

"OW-! HEY!!!!" Lloyd cringed."YUAN-!"

"I mean! FIRST you come here, then you go to this place's PAST! THEN YOU BRING ME

HERE! I SAW YOU AS A TWENTY-FIVE YEAR OLD THE OTHER DAY AND NOW

YOU'RE A TEENAGER AGAN?!" Yuan roared.

"...You just love getting on my case, don't you?" Lloyd answered blandly.

"...I'm lost." Anna said.

"Think about how I must feel..." Navi said.

Yuan was still yelling at Lloyd for messing up the 'natural order' when I decided to step in and

save his skin.

"Lloyd, do you want to stay with Anna a little longer, or did you want to...?" I started.

"Huh-? Well, I want to hang out with you for a little bit..." he said. "Sorry Mom..."

"...Ah, it's fine." Anna smiled weakly. "I've had two days of you...you can go."

"...Mom..." Lloyd trailed.

"Hoo hoo! What've we got here?"

Oh shit.

"HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING DOING IN HERE?!" Lloyd gasped.

"Holy..." Yuan stared.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I snapped.

The Owl was sitting in my front door. How the hell he managed that without getting stuck baffles

me, but nevertheless he did it. The bird swiveled his head upside down, looking at me.

"You still managed to cling to your old memories, huh? Hoo hoo?" he asked.

"..." I glared. "Yes. I did...My family and my friend helped me."

"Family-? HOO HOO! So the one in red is the Eternal Swordsman, is he?"

"Uh-" Lloyd started.

"Splendid, splendid!" it hooted. "Pleasure to make your aquaintance!"

"Uh...Thank you...?" Lloyd blinked.

"What do you want?" I demanded of the owl.

"Hoo? What I want...? Oh yes! Let's see here..."

A blast of light came from the Owl, knocking all of us to into the wall.

"Agh!"

"AH!"

"WHAT THE-?!"

"Ugh!"

I attempted to open my eyes, but the light was too strong. When it finally died down...

"Hey...wake up, would you?"

I groaned, I didn't feel like moving suddenly...

"..." the voice sighed. "Wake up, what are you? Lloyd?"

I slowly opened my eyes...

"There we go." the face smiled slightly.

It took a moment to hit me, then I realized the face looked like mine.

I reacted accordingly.

"GET AWAY!" I cried, scooting backwards.

"Hm?" he blinked.

It was an older me, though unlike the Water Temple this one looked as I did now, with blue eyes

and blonde hair with a lock covering one eye. The duplicate looked at me a minute then laughed.

"Ah...remembering the Water Temple, right?" he smiled slightly.

I didn't answer, glaring at him. He sighed and then put a hand to his head, as I so often do.

"You're not going to listen to me, are you?" he asked calmly.

"...Who are you?" I asked.

"You, of course." he snorted. "Except a little older."

"..." I blinked.

"...I talked to you earlier, remember? When you asked about Zora's domain?"

Wait...yes. I did, didn't I? That must mean I'm in the place the sage's seal me in in the future in

order to keep the timeline from falling apart...that would mean two things. One, this was in fact

me, and two, my existence is as twisted as...say...Mithos on a double caffinated mocha latte and

a sugarrush. Twisted.

"...What am I doing here?" I asked. "If this is..."

"I wanted to tell you something." he said. "...Look, remember what the copy said in the Temple?"

"...What part?" I asked.

"About commiting suicide."

I felt my blood chill, I had wanted to forget that...why did I-?

"It was a lie."

I flinched, then looked up at him in shock.

"Wha-?" I started.

"That room in the water temple is made solely to mess with your head." he told me. "The water,

the air, everything is enchanted...think of it as another Derris Emblem."

"...So...Mithos did that?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yes, he exploited the doubt you were feeling and the test set by the 'goddesses' in

order to make you forget. Apparently, we're less of a threat if we barely know what's going on."

"..Test?" I asked.

"Yes, that Owl? Kaepora Gaebora? He's a messenger of the goddesses, all of this...all of these

mind games they've been playing with you, they set it all up. Needless to say...you passed."

"..." I stared at him. "Why did-?"

"They do it?" he smiled. "Because...we needed it."

"..."

He pointed at my heart, looking serious.

"Don't you feel lighter? Don't you feel as if you can stop living in the past?"

I hesitated a minute. After all that...all that I had just gone throught... I had pulled through it thanks

to my family and my friends...I knew now that they wanted me to be there...and that made

me...want to live.

"..." I went wide-eyed.

"You've got the will to live." he smiled. "Something you haven't had in a long time."

"..."

I felt my lips curl into a smile as I closed my eyes. He chuckled.

"Yeah, it feels good." he smiled.

"...You don't...sound like me." I said.

"Well, being a teenager does that to you." he coughed.

"Wait...then...if I didn't kill myself, how DID I die?" I asked.

"Monsters." he said simply.

"What?" I asked.

"Rauru told me. I- we, went out of Welgaia to explore Derris-Kharlan one day and we were

ambushed. The area we were in was further out in the comet than we ever went...there were

some very nasty things out there." he sighed. "That and for some reason we were stupid enough

to go out without any gels..."

"...Is that really what happened?" I asked.

"Unless Origin became a liar? Yes." he nodded. "And I doubt he'll lie anytime soon."

"...Thank you." I stated.

"Foolish to thank me, aren't you? I am you." he smirked.

"..." I nodded. "That you are."

He smiled softly and then stood up, helping me to my feet.

"Now...go back to them." he smiled. "And uh..."

"What is it?" I asked.

"..." he hesitated. "When you see the Spirit Sage..."

"Yes?"

"...Don't mention Yuan."

"Huh-?"

Another blast of light. I tell you, it's really starting to annoy me...

"Gah! What the hell?!" Lloyd cried.

Yuan was looking around hesitantly as Lloyd helped Anna up.

"What was THAT about?" Anna asked.

I sighed, "Don't worry about it."

"The last time you said that, you were telling me not to die." Lloyd pointed out.

"Hoo hoo! How amusing! Hoo!"

"You're still HERE?!" I snapped.

"Hm? Oh yes, hoo! Best be going! Hoo!"

The Owl shuffled on his feet awkwardly, turning to waddle outside the door.

"Wait! What the heck ARE you?" Lloyd asked.

"Hoo! Want a lecture?" it asked, swiveling it's head around.

"NO-! I mean...no." I coughed. "Lloyd, say no."

"Uh...all right...lectures hurt my head anyway."

"Hoo! We'll meet again!"

Spirits forbid.

The Owl was gone as quickly as he had arrived.

"What the...?" Anna blinked. "What a strange character..."

"Well...if you're done with this I'll be on my way." Yuan stated calmly.

"Oh! Right, thanks Yuan!" Lloyd smiled.

"I'll be seeing you...eventually." I said, smirking slightly.

"Just make sure you keep the woman on a leash, all right?" he snorted.

"A LEASH!?" Anna cried.

I laughed to myself, smiling. Everything...was going to be all right. I just got the feeling the

everything was going to be all right now. If I just did what I needed to do...then...I could live the

way I wanted to.

"Bye, Yuan!" Lloyd smiled.

"Farewell, Old friend." I said.

"Tch..."

He sent me one last smirk before he dissappeared, at Lloyd's bidding.

"GOOD RIDDANCE!" Anna cried.

"Mom, he's gone." Lloyd sighed.

"I know that!"

Anna and Lloyd began to argue again, I just stood there and watched them. It was kind

of...funny, really...if not a little tiring. I sighed and itched the back of my long ear, which in fact felt

quite good...Perhaps when you have long ears, it feels better if you scratch them? That would

explain why Noishe always wanted her head scratched...

"Kratos?" Navi dingled.

I shook my head, "Hm? I apologize...I was thinking."

"Oh, well Lloyd just said something to you."

"He did?" I said, looking at him. "I'm sorry Lloyd. What was it?"

"I asked if we were going to go already! You promised we'd spend time together!"

"..." I smiled. "I did, didn't I? Very well...let's go."

"Aw right! Bye, Mom!"

Lloyd knelt down to hug Anna, who was trying not to cry.

"You'll come back...later, right?" she asked.

"Well, he's going to be born here eventually..." I pointed out.

"Wha-? Hey...holy cow! You're right!" he gasped. "So I'm gonna be an elf?!"

"Hylian." I corrected.

"Kokiri!" Anna said.

"Wait a second..." Lloyd trailed. "Wait, so you guys aren't the same race?"

"...Come to think of it, no..." Anna frowned.

"...So are you telling me I might not be born?!" he gasped.

"Well...if Anna stays here, she won't age..." I muttered, remembering that plight.

"GAH!" Lloyd gasped. "EVEN WORSE!!!!!"

"Um...Kratos? How IS that going to work out...?" Anna looked at me.

"...Oh, there's a way!" Navi dingled.

"There is?!" Anna and I asked.

"Well...kinda...but..." her wings drooped. "It'll have to wait until Hyrule is safe."

Anna groaned, then grinned. "Oh well...at least there's something we can do!"

"Well, now that that's settled...Come ON Dad! Let's go, let's go!" he said.

"All right all right..." I sighed, smiling slightly. "See you soon, Anna."

She kissed my cheek, "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

I smirked, "Anna, that's Lloyd's job."

"HEY!"

Anna laughed with a wide grin on her face.

"Now get going! You promised him!" Anna grinned.

Lloyd and I left with a final goodbye and on the way out...

"Huh...? Wha...?" a voice dingled groggily.

Anna's fairy, Kilia, had flown out from Anna's pocket.

"Oh, you're awake." Anna smiled.

"Huh...what happened-? Hey! Was I asleep the WHOLE time you were getting Kratos' memory

back?!" she cried, dinging rapidly. "No way! I can't believe I slept through that! What

happened?! What'd I miss?!"

I couldn't help but laugh as we made our way out of the village.

**Me: There. Kratos has his memory, happy?  
**

**Lloyd: O.o! I TICKLED KRATOS THE SERAPH!  
**

**(Evil laughter)**

**Genis:...Lloyd, you're starting to scare me.**

**Cheresea: Starting?**

**Me: Anyway...next chapter! Oyakoish KratosLloyd family fun! Hehehehe...The **

**Aurion's in Hyrule! My imagination is ****running crazy as we speak!...Okay, it's not, but it **

**will!! ...Hopefully...please...**

**Cheresea:...Just admit it. You have no idea what to have them do.**

**Me: SILENCE! LIAR! TRAITOR-!...She's right...--' I have barely any ideas...**

**Genis: Well, since Freaky is too stubborn to admit she needs help, we'll ask for her. If **

**anyone has any suggestions about ****what Lloyd and Kratos should do in Hyrule just for **

**kicks, please tell!**

**Me: I do NOT need help! I DO NOT!**

**Cheresea: Your therapists say otherwise.**

**Me:...Stupid therapists...they'll be the death of me yet...  
**


	18. Chapter 18

**I feel really happy today:D**

**Lloyd: Woah, why?  
**

**Genis: Yeah, you're acting like Colette...**

**Cheresea: (Is whistling) I feel really hyped today! Let's go swimming! Or let's throw a **

**party! Oh! Let's go to an ****amusement park! Or maybe the mall! Let's just DO **

**something!**

**Lloyd: O.o? You too?**

**Me: YAY! LET'S GO PLAY OUTSIDE! **

**Cheresea: YEAH! LET'S GO:D**

**(Author and Cheresea go off and play outside.)**

**Lloyd: O.O**

**Genis: Well...since Cheresea is Freaky's optimism, that must mean if one's 'hyped' so's **

**the other...**

**Lloyd: Hey! Wait! I want to go play outside too!  
**

**(Lloyd runs off)**

**Genis:...Oh hell with it, Freaky owns nothing! Guys! Wait for me! **

**(Genis runs off)**

I took a deep breath, and then exhaled steadily. I could do this...I could do this... I lifted it up and

aimed carefully, my fingers twitching with anxiety. Wait...for just...the right...

"Just do it already!"

My fingers slipped and the deku seed went flying through the air, completely missing the ruppee I

had been aiming for. I snarled and turned to look at Lloyd, who had made me slip up.

"Lloyd! You made me miss!" I snapped.

"You were just taking so long..." he shrugged.

I groaned, "At least I've got a few more tries left...this time, don't bug me!"

"Sheesh, all right all right..." Lloyd pouted.

We were at the shooting gallery in Castle Town, you see, once we left the forest Lloyd asked that

we headed here, seeing as he didn't get a good enough chance to look around. We had entered

this place and Lloyd ended up betting that I couldn't do it. I had to win this, not only for the sake

of my pride, but...I bet my hat. Yes, my hat, Lloyd thought it was 'cool' so he had bet my hat

against...the hylian shield. When I was busy arguing with Navi, he took it. I suppose I could just

buy another, but... Ugh, I can't believe I bet my hat! Wait...why am I so worked up about this?

It's just a hat-...then again, I had become strangely attached to it... Like how it never fell off, even

during fights...that was very odd...

CHING!

I smirked, I had hit my target. Then the others came. I did my best in order to keep up with the

moving targets and then finally ended with a grin of satisfaction, as I had won.

"Rats." Lloyd muttered.

"I win, give me my shield back." I smirked.

"...Jerk."

I smirked as we walked back into the town square.

"Heh heh." Lloyd grinned. "I- hey, what's that?"

Lloyd ran off toward a stand, leaving me to run after him.

"Ooooo!!" Lloyd stared.

The stand was selling various objects, anywhere from jewlery to those digging bugs.

"What do the bugs do?" he asked.

"The bugs?" the vendor asked. "Why...the bugs can see the future!"

Right, like anyone would believe that-

"REALLY? COOL!"

...I think I actually will kill myself now.

"Lloyd!" I snapped. "Do you-?"

"I was just kidding." the salesman blinked. "What they CAN do is dig into the ground and dig up

something you might find valuble. Once I let some go around some soft dirt, and voila! FIFTY

RUPPEES!"

"Really?" I stared. "Er...that is..."

"Boring." Lloyd yawned. "Hey, what's that?!"

Lloyd ran off again, with a sigh, I followed him into a shop I hadn't really noticed before... It had

masks. The place was called the 'Happy Mask Shop', and a strange grinning man ran the place...

"Why hello!" he grinned. "See something you like?"

"Masks?" Lloyd blinked. "Why do you sell masks?"

"Why don't I sell masks?" he grinned wider.

I got a twitchy feeling, a hair standing on end feeling, this guy was very...unorthodox.

"Er...well...Hey! What's that one?"

"That? That, my dear sir, is a 'Keaton' mask! It's all the rage with children!" he smiled. "Perhaps

you would like to purchase one for your young little friend here?"

It took me a second to realize he meant me.

I scowled, "No thank you."

"What about that one?" Lloyd pointed at one.

"Ah, the skull mask. You know, it's quite fun to use this one to scare people."

"Really...?" Lloyd asked. "How much?"

"Wha-? Lloyd!"

"I'll let you borrow it for free." the man grinned. "Have it back in an hour!"

"Really? SWEET! Come on D- Kratos, let's go!"

Before I could protest, Lloyd grabbed the mask and raced out of the store. With a sigh I headed

after them but stopped right at the door to look back at the vendor. He was currently looking a

mask that looked like it had a large eye, muttering to himself about it. When he noticed me, his

grin diminished to a strange smile.

"This mask tells me we'll be seeing each other again..." he smiled.

"..." I eyed him warily before running out after Lloyd.

I ran outside and-

...He is so grounded for this.

"EEEEEKKKK!!!!"

A fat lady ran off faster than I thought was possible for such a large person and a skinny looking

man passed out, you see, Lloyd had done just as the smiling had said and was now sneaking up

behind people and scaring them with the mask. After he had startled a bunch of teenage girls, he

removed the mask and laughed his head off.

"Lloyd!" I snapped. "Stop scaring the townsfolk!"

"But it's fuuuuunnnn..." Lloyd whined.

I glared at him, "Lloyd, you're too old to be doing stuff like this. It's high time you grew up and

started acting a little more BEHAVED around other people."

"Hmph. Fine. You're no fun." Lloyd pouted.

"Give me the mask Lloyd, we're giving it right back to him." I demanded.

"...Killjoy..." he muttered, handing it over.

"Good. Now that we've-..."

"Uh...D- Kratos? Are you all right...?"

Hey...this mask looked kind of cool...

"Dad?"

Maybe I could freak out Mido...

"Dad!"

I shook my head, "Er...what? I'm sorry, I...er..."

"..." Lloyd smirked widely.

"What's with that look?"

"You were thinking about scaring people with it, weren't you?" Lloyd grinned.

I flushed, "Never crossed my mind."

That's when a group of kids 'my' age walked by...

"HAH HAH! Look at that kid! He's wearing a skirt!"

I twitched.

"Yeah! No kidding! Look, he has a fairy too!"

"Ya mean he IS a fairy! What staight kid would wear that?!"

"Why you..." I turned.

"D- Kratos! Don't-!" Lloyd started.

"Yeah, what a stupid outfit!"

"Especially that RETARDED hat!"

"Uh-oh." Navi dingled.

...Did he just...?

"Navi, did he just call my hat 'retarded'?" I asked.

"E-er...y-yeah..."

He's going down.

"That's it you little jerk! DIN'S FIRE!"

"AAUUUGH! THE KIDS A PYRO!!!"

They ran off and I sped after them.

"Come back here!" I shouted. "I'm not done with you-! UGH!"

Lloyd had lifted me up by my collar, lifting me off the ground.

"H-hey! Put me down! Put me down!" I flailed.

"You were just telling me not to misbehave, and you do THAT?" Lloyd scoffed.

"This is different!" I snapped. "Those jerks were asking for it!"

"Calm DOWN!" Lloyd snarled. "You're acting like a little brat!"

I crossed my arms and pouted, "Fine. Can you put me down now?"

Lloyd sighed and set me back on my feet, "Jeesh...you're such a handful-woah."

He went bug-eyed and I blinked.

"What?" I asked.

"...I just...acted like a...parent...and you're acting like a KID!" he gasped.

"So? What's the big-?..."

I snapped to my senses and then felt my face flush.

"O-oh...I...see..." I stated, coughing. "I...um...I apologize for my behavior."

Had I...really just done that...? This body messed with my mind...

"I don't like being around you when you're a kid! It's scary!" Lloyd cried.

"Indeed...why don't we head to the Temple of Time?" I suggested.

"Huh-? Oh! Yeah!" Lloyd grinned. "I'll bet there's fun stuff in the future too!"

"Yeah, let's-...but..."

"But?"

"Can we go over there first?"

I pointed at a place that had caught my eye. The 'BombChu Bowling Alley'.

I had heard some of the townsolk talking about it and it sounded remotely interesting...

BOOM!

"HAH! Take that you stupid chicken!!"

"Uh...Kratos? You're suppossed to be aiming for the hole..."

"...I know that." I muttered. "Shut up, Navi."

"My turn!" Lloyd grabbed a bombchu. "Okay...there!"

He placed it on the ground and the mobile bomb sped past the obstacles, only to blow up before

reaching the target. Lloyd swore and then grabbed another one...

BOOM!

"BUCKAW!"

"I hit the chicken again." Lloyd sighed.

"It's kind of funny, you've got to admit..." I muttered.

"...Okay, you're REALLY starting to scare me." he said.

"..." I snorted. "Hmph."

"There we go! That's more like you!" he laughed. "Okay, let me try again- Oops."

BOOM!

"BUCKAW!"

"Hit the chicken again." he rubbed the back of his neck.

"..."

"I-...um...Why is it...crowing?"

I felt my blood run cold and I looked at the chicken in the game zone. It was running around

wildly, crowing at the top of it's voice. After running about a second it locked eyes with me.

I never knew chickens could growl.

"RUN FOR IT!" I shouted.

"Huh-? Why-? OH CRAP I FORGOT! EVIL CHICKENS! EVIL!!!"

Lloyd and I made a mad dash out the door, leaving the vendor looking somewhat confused as

she watched her chicken chase us out into the market place. The mad chicken let out another

crow, attracting the attention of the several other chickens in the plaza and before long we had a

flock of fat birds chasing after us.

"WHY ARE THESE THINGS SO EVIL!?" Lloyd shouted.

"Less talk, more run!" I snapped.

I looked around for the nearest building, running the whole while.

"THERE!" I shouted.

Lloyd and I made a break for the building and hurled ourselves inside, slamming the door.

"Hff...hff...hff..." I panted.

"Chickens...evil..." Lloyd stammered.

"Uh...guys?" Navi dingled. "How'd we end up at the temple?"

Indeed, we were inside the temple of time.

"..." I frowned. "How the...?"

I shook my head, nevermind, best not to wonder.

"Wow, that was weird." Lloyd said. "We were heading here next anyway. Heh heh."

"...Well, as long as we're here, why don't we go to a time where I'm NOT four feet tall?" I asked.

Lloyd shrugged, "Whatever's fine with you. I mean, maybe we could find something cool there!"

I smiled slightly. "I suppose."

"Come on, pull the sword out and let's go!" he walked for the pedestal.

I followed him and pulled out the sword, the strange feeling of rapid aging hit me again then a

minute later the sword was in my hand and the ceiling wasn't as high up.

"That's better..." I said, sheathing the sword.

"That feels REALLY weird..." Lloyd said, now an adult.

"Really?" I asked. "I'd think you'd be used to it, seeing as you can change your age anyway."

"Well...yeah, but there's a difference between that..." he turned back into a teen. "And this."

"Really? I don't see it." I titled my head to the side.

"Well this way you don't really feel it...the other way is...woah..." he said.

"..." I raised an eyebrow. "I see..."

"...Heh heh." Lloyd grinned.

"What?"

"I mean, even though you're blonde now, you still look like you when you do that." he grinned.

"..."

"Well, like I said to Colette. You're you!" he laughed.

"...Yes." I smiled slightly.

"By the way, what's the town look like in this time?"

I paled.

"Huh? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Kratos doesn't exactly like going out there." Navi said.

"What? Why?"

"He's scared of the- MMPH!"

I grabbed Navi and stuffed her into a jar.

"Ignore her." I said.

"Huh? Now I'm really curious!"

"It's nothing you need concern yourself with." I glared. "Let's go. I can take us to the lake-"

But before I took out the ocarina Lloyd grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the temple and

out into the town. He had gotten very strong since the last time he was here, I couldn't break free.

"Lloyd-! No-!..."

"What the...?" Lloyd gaped, seeing the re-deads.

"Now do you see why I didn't want to come here?" I hissed. "Let's-"

A bloodcurling shriek pierced the air, freezing me and my tracks. I could barley move enough to

look over my shoulder to see a re-dead limping for us. Lloyd shook violently as my heart raced.

Oh no...oh no oh no oh no...

"...RUN!" I shouted.

I grabbed Lloyd's hand and ran as fast as my legs would allow out of what was once the plaza of

the town. I didn't stop running until we came to the towns entrance, which was devoid of re-

deads.

"Hff...hfff..." I panted. "I...hate...those things..."

Lloyd nodded dumbly, still looking pale.

"All right. Now that you've had your fun, let's go." I snarled.

"R-right- hey, what's in here?"

I smacked myself in the face as Lloyd raced into the nearest building. Did he ever learn?!

"Come on, Navi." I sighed. "We'd better make sure he doesn't hurt himself..."

I entered the building after Lloyd to find it devoid of anything...except for a strange man in the

corner with several poe ghosts floating in and out of a cage above his bed.

"Come in, come in..." he cackled. "Welcome, 'sbeen so long since I've had...company..."

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, which Lloyd seemed to be immune to.

"Hi!" he grinned.

That idiot never could tell a threat...

"Hello...I'm so lucky. Two young men in my little...abode."

That's it. We're leaving.

"Come on, Lloyd. Let's go." I said.

"Huh? Why?" he blinked.

"Yes, no need to rush..." it trailed.

BANG! The 'mans' staff hit the cages.

"STAY IN THERE YOU STUPID POES!!!" it shouted. "Yes, as I was saying..."

"Lloyd. Even you can tell he's insane now, right?" I whispered.

"He is?"

I smacked myself in the face. Then again, he had been stupid enough to trust Mithos at one time.

How did he not realize he was Yggdrasill? They looked exactly the same aside for the eyes...

"Lloyd. Let's go. Now." I snapped.

"Huh...? Well...okay..." he went to leave. "If you- AH!"

The freakish 'man' had grabbed Lloyd's hand.

"Now now, boy! Don't be leavin' yet-"

"Get your hands off of him!!" I snarled, drawing the Master Sword.

"Eek!" he realeased Lloyd. "There there, no need to get violent..."

"You touch him again, and you'll join your little friends." I said, pointing at the ghosts.

"Understand?"

It nodded frantically before curling up in it's corner.

"Let's go." I said to Lloyd.

This time he listened to me.

"You were right, this town IS really creepy..." Lloyd shuddred as we entered the field.

"Of course I was right. I'm always right." I stated cooly.

"Hmph." Lloyd pouted. "So...where next?"

I looked around the field, trying to think of a place Lloyd would find interesting.

Of course.

"This way." I stated, heading for Lon Lon Ranch.

"There? What's there?" Lloyd asked. "Hey...that looks familiar..."

"That's where you found me last time you visited, remember?" I asked.

"Oh yeah! I remember-!..."

"Lloyd? What's wrong?" Navi asked.

"That cat's not still there, is it?" he blushed.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Lloyd, I doubt it will find you very 'tasty' anymore." I smirked.

"Grr..." Lloyd blushed angrily.

"Come on. Let's get going." I stated.

And so, a few minutes later we had arrived at the ranch. Come to think of it, what had happened

to Malon after I stole Noishe back? I looked around and soon found my answer.

"Fairy boy! It's you!"

"Wh-? ..."

Malon had appeared from nowhere and hugged me tightly, Lloyd going bug-eyed.

"Thank you so much! Because of you, everything's back to normal and Dad came home and

everything!" she smiled, releasing me. "It's all thanks to you, Fairy boy-! Oh wait...I suppose I

shouldn't call you that anymore..."

"...My name's Kratos." I said.

"Oh! So that's what your name was!" she laughed nervously. "I...er...forgot."

"..."

"Uh...D- Kratos? Who is this?" Lloyd asked.

"Hm? Oh! Is he a friend of yours?" she asked me.

"You could say that..."

"Well, any friend of his is a friend of mine!" Malon grinned. "Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch!"

"Thanks!" Lloyd grinned.

"Make yourselves at home." she smiled. "I'll even let you ride our horses!"

"Horses?" Lloyd blinked.

"...Lloyd." I said. "There is something you have to try..."

A few minutes later.

"WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!"

"Wow! He's good!" Malon gaped.

"A natural!" Navi dingled.

"It runs in the family, apparently..." I muttered under my breath.

Lloyd had taken to riding at an amazing pace, already jumping fences and dashing around with

the steed Malon had let him use. Sure, it took him a minute to figure it out, but he was doing very

well nevertheless.

"That looks like fun!" Navi dingled.

"Yes..." I took out the ocarina.

"Oh! Are you going to play Noishe's song?" Malon smiled.

"That was the idea..."

"Play it then! We can do a quick duet!" she chirped.

"..." I nodded. "Very well then."

I put the instrument to my lips and played the song as she sang it, no sooner had the song finished

had Noishe trotted up to me, whinnying happily, twitching her ears.

"Hello, Noishe." I smiled slightly.

She nodded as I mounted her and then within a second we were right behind Lloyd.

"Huh-?" he saw us beside him. "Oh! Hey! This horse-riding stuff is SO cool!"

I smirked, "I hope you'll be able to mantain that enthusiasm."

"Since when don't I?" he whined.

Noishe made a sound between a whinny and a whine.

"Hey! Shut up, Noishe!" Lloyd scoffed.

"You understood her?" I wondered.

"No. But I could always tell when she insults me." he huffed.

"I see...I- Lloyd! Look out!"

"Huh-? AGH!"

Lloyd had been distracted and didn't realize the fence coming up to him. His horse stopped

suddenly, sending him flying several feet and landing with a loud thud on the ground.

"Ooouuuuuuccccccchh..." Navi dingled.

"Oooowwww..." Lloyd groaned.

I sighed and dismounted Noishe before walking up to Lloyd to check if he was injured.

"Lloyd." I said. "Are you all right?"

Lloyd sat up, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oowww...er...yeah, but ow..." he grimanced.

I sighed, "You really must learn to pay closer attention."

"Oh shut up." he huffed. "...Hey! I've got an idea!"

Well, that's something new.

"Let's have a race!" he grinned.

A race...?

"I don't think you're that good yet." I stated.

"Oh come on, please?"

"No."

"You're just scared I'll beat you."

...Must resist...resist teenage impulse to upstage him...must...resist-

"You're on."

...So much for that.

"All right then! Take your marks!"

Malon stood beside us, raising her arm over her head as we stopped our steeds at the line.

"Ready..."

Malon had moved her hand down slightly, standing just oustide the trail.

"Set..."

Lloyd shot me a challenging smirk, which I too readily returned.

"GO!"

In a milisecond we were off, racing as fast as we could. So far we were neck and neck until

Lloyd gave his horse a kick and tore ahead of me... Now, I'm not sure if it was my dignity as a

father, my stubborness as a teenager, or the sense of pride that I've always kept locked up inside

of me, but one thing was for certain.

I was NOT letting Lloyd beat me.

"Come on Noishe!" I shouted.

Noishe zoomed ahead and in seconds we were only a head behind Lloyd.

"Woah!" he gasped.

"Heh." I smirked.

"OH SHOOT!" Lloyd cried.

We were neck and neck, that's when we came to the first hurtle.

"HYAH!"

Noishe leapt over it easily but Lloyd made the mistake of approaching it from an angle, thus the

horse came to a stop.

"AH!"

His steed reared back on it's hind legs, flailing. Lloyd managed to hang on and possibly get it

under control, but I was already to far ahead to see after that. I smirked as the finish line came

into view...

"WOAH!" Navi dingled.

A shadow passed over us as Lloyd's horse simple leapt over our heads, landing before the finish

line and racing past it. I felt my jaw drop slightly and Navi was spazzing out again as we crossed

the finish line, where Lloyd was grinning.

"I win." he grinned wider.

"..." I gaped. "How...did you...?"

"WOW!" Malon gasped. "That was amazing!!"

The farm girl was over to Lloyd and fawning over him in less than seconds.

"That was so cool! How did you get it to do that?! You're amazing! AMAZING!" she cheered.

"Huh? Well...heh heh..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hmph." I snorted.

"Kratos? Are you...mad?" Navi dingled.

"My son just beat me, of course I'm mad." I muttered.

Noishe whined.

"Um...she says Lloyd cheated." Navi dingled. "Something about that 'Eternal Sword' thing..."

"What?" I gaped. "...That boy is in so much trouble..."

Lloyd was currently trying to get Malon to leave him alone, seeing as she was fretting over him.

"It was amazing! Really!"

"Th-thanks, but it wasn't THAT cool so-"

"Yes it was! Hey, do you have a girlfriend?!"

"Huh-? Wait! NO! I-"

"You don't?!" Malon looked overjoyed.

"No I mean yes I do! I have a girlfriend!"

"Oooohhh..." Malon looked disheartened. "Okay..."

She left him alone after that.

"...Colette would have been a little angry, I daresay." I stated.

"Yeah, she would have..." Lloyd sighed. "Wait-! I mean-!...shoot."

I smirked, "It was obvious you'd wind up with her, Lloyd."

"W-well..." he blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"..."

I looked out onto the horizon. The sun was getting closer to setting...Lloyd had only a couple

hours after the sun set to be here...then we would have to...

"...Dad."

I looked at him, seeing a determined look on his face.

"...Even when I go, I'll be here eventually." he said. "So...it's not REALLY goodbye..."

"..." I smiled softly. "Yes."

"...In the mean time, let's go have some fun!" he grinned. "So, uh...where next?"

"...Why don't we go to Kakiriko?" I suggested.

"Huh? Why there?" he asked.

I shrugged, "That's the only real town left in Hyrule anymore..."

"Hm...well...I guess. Sure! Let's go!" he grinned.

I smiled, "All right then."

So, we left for the village. We came in at around five-thirty in the evening, well, according to the

'time keeping' guard. I wonder if he truly is so bored that all he can do is count the seconds... At

any rate, we ventured into town and it wasn't long before we had a run in with my unwanted

admirerers...

"OOH! It's the cute guy in green!!"

I swore under my breath. However, it seemed fate was in my favor this day...

"Hey, wait a minute. Isn't that the guy from before?" they pointed at Lloyd.

"Uh..." Lloyd blinked.

"No...the guy from before was older, right?"

"But they look exactly the same..."

"And wasn't that guy's hair reddish before?"

This hesitation was more than enough leeway to run for it. We ran until we were out of sight-

"COCKLE DOODLE D-!"

Then we ran some more.

"I am getting SICK of that!!" Lloyd cried as we ran.

"I concur!" I said, dashing for the nearest door.

We entered and then slammed the door only to be yelled at.

"DON'T SLAM THE DOOR!!!"

Lloyd and I looked to see a strange man playing some sort of instrument. Come to think of it,

wasn't this the inside of the windmill? That sure was an odd place for a cranky musician.

"Sheesh, what's your problem?" Lloyd asked.

"My problem? MY PROBLEM? He...heheheh! HEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The man laughed maniacally while his eyes crossed. Lloyd and I exchanged glances and

considered leaving. However, before we could do so the man began to rant.

"Seven years! Seven years ago that- that- BOY! He had that...INSTRUMENT!"

"You think he means the ocarina?" Navi wondered.

Hm...interesting...

"Like this?" I said, taking it out.

I shouldn't have done that.

"AGH!" he cried. "THAT INSTRUMENT! THAT SONG! It made the windmill...it made that

storm! That annoying...infernal...horrible...NAGGING tune!"

For a minute, I was considering that it might have been Navi.

"That tune! THAT SONG!" he twitched.

Perhaps he was...all right, not perhaps, this man was stark raving mad, but he played the song...

"Hm..." I wondered.

I put the ocarina to my lips and repeated the song.

"WOAH!" Lloyd cried.

There was a loud clash of thunder from outside followed by the sound of heavy rain. The windmill

began turning at an amazingly rapid pace, it made me dizzy to look at it.

"AH! THE SONG! THAT SOOOOONNNGG!!!"

He passed out, foaming.

"...Ookkaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy..." Lloyd said slowly.

"Indeed." I said simply.

"Huh...hey, Dad? What's this thing do anyway?"

Lloyd was pointing at the rapidly moving platform connected to the windmill.

"Windmills churn using water or wind in order to grind wheat into flour." I stated.

"Oh..." he said. "I never saw one in Sylvarant, so..."

"They were used in Asgard. You must not have been paying attention."

"Oh." he said, eyeing the mill platform.

"..." I sighed. "Lloyd, what are you thinking?"

"What?" he grinned. "What on earth could I be thinking?"

"Lloyd-" I started in a warning tone.

Lloyd jumped on the platform.

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!"

I gaped like an idiot as Lloyd whirled around on the windmill, running on it like a device Yuan

created once called a 'treadmill'. He was laughing like the idiot he was as he ran around in an

attempt not to fall off.

"Lloyd, what are you-?" I started.

"It's-"

He was whirled around.

"Fun-!"

He whirled again.

"You-"

Once more.

"Should try it!'

I watched him run for a minute, an eyebrow raised. The next time he whirled around though, I

assume he didn't want to wait for an answer seeing as he grabbed me and pulled me onto the mill

as well.

"Lloyd-!"

I let out a short gasp and began to run in an attempt not to fall flat on my face. Lloyd ran beside

me with a big grin plastered on his face and I swear I would have grounded him had I not

currently been a teenager.

"This is fun!" he laughed, running in front of me.

"Lloyd, I am going to KILL you and-!!" I snapped.

"WOAH!"

Lloyd lost his footing on the mill and fell flat on his face...the knocked into me. In the next second

I found myself knocked against the wall as Lloyd shouted, whirling around and around on the mill.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!" he cried.

"Lloyd!" I cried. "You idiot!"

"GET ME OFF THIS THIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGG!!!!!"

"Try playing the song again!" Navi dingled.

"..."

"...Kratos?"

"Yes?"

"...Why are you just standing there?"

"...I'm letting him suffer a little." I stated, smirking slightly.

"YOU JEEEEEEEEEERRRRKKKK!!!!!"

"KRATOS!" Navi dingled.

I sighed, "Fine then..."

After I had stopped the mill, Lloyd gave me an increasingly nasty look as we made our way

outside once more. I saw the horizon and felt my heart sink in my chest. It was sunset...we only

had a couple hours left, if that...

"...Hey, Dad."

"Huh-? Oh, yes, what is it?" I asked.

"...What's that up there?"

I followed the direction Lloyd was pointing.

"That's the lookout point." Navi said. "The big ladder? That's for lookouts."

"...Hey." Lloyd smiled. "I'll bet the stars look great from there."

The stars...Lloyd wanted to look at the stars...like we did when he was a child...

"...Indeed." I stated. "...Do you want to go see?"

Lloyd grinned, "Duh! That's why I suggested it!"

"..." I smiled, "All right then, let's go."

In a few minutes time we had climbed to the top of the look out platform, looking out as the sun

disappeared. I sat down on the platform as Lloyd stood next to me, looking around.

"Wow...Hyrule's such a weird place..." he said.

"Yes." I said simply.

"...Hey, remember when we saw your sister?"

"You mean Mae?" I asked.

"Yeah. How come you never told me I had an aunt?" Lloyd asked.

"...She'd been dead for four-thousand years, Lloyd." I stated.

"Well...yeah...it's just...you never told me much of anything..."

"..." I frowned. "I apologize."

"But Aunt Mae's the 'princess' here, right?" Lloyd asked, looking at me. "So all this is her land?"

I nodded.

"Huh...that's kinda neat." he grinned. "This place is really weird...with the fish-people, and the

Kokiri, and the evil chickens...but it's also really cool too... Does Mom like it?"

"...She told me to save it." I said. "Both her and Mae, they both want me to."

"So I guess that's a yes, huh?" Lloyd smiled.

"...Anna always wants people to be safe." I smiled slightly. "It's only natural...and Mae...she has a

strong sense of justice as well. Though...she can be a little cynical and mischievious at times."

"Well, I can believe cynical, but mischievious?" Lloyd blinked. "If she's YOUR sister?"

I sighed, "Mae...can be quite the crafty little witch."

"...Are you worried about her?"

"Hm?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Well...Navi told me that she ran off, and you haven't seen her since..."

"Navi!" I snapped.

Navi dingled, "Sorry! He asked!"

I sighed, "...Yes, I am worried about her."

"Ah, I'm sure you'll find her." Lloyd smiled. "You found me, right?"

"..." I nodded. "That I did."

"...Oh! Look! A star!"

I looked in the direction he pointed as a star blinked into existance. It was a beautiful little star,

currently all alone in the dark sky... I could only wonder how much time we had left...

"...Dad?" Lloyd said.

I shook off my thoughts, looking at him.

"What is it?"

"...Um...remember..." he muttered. "When I was little...you'd put me on your shoulders?"

"...Yes." I said, looking at him. "Why do you ask?"

"...Um...I want to do something, okay?"

I tilted my head to the side in a questioning expression. Lloyd smiled and said a quick 'trust me'

before doing something that I admit startled me. He altered his age. Altered it to...

"..." I felt the color leave my face.

A three-year-old. The three-year-old Lloyd I had so often remisinced about after I had lost him,

the little boy that I cared for more than anything, only to have ripped away from me...now

standing before me.

"...L..Lloyd...?" I whispered.

Lloyd grinned, "Hey! It wowked- wowked? I sound fuwny! Hee!"

I was shaking now, my eyes locked on his grinning face. Lloyd smiled and then-

"Ugh-!"

Ran behind me and jumped on my back, arms around my neck as he struggled to get a hold.

"L-loyd! What're you-?!" I gasped.

"Help me up!" he said, in a little voice I hadn't heard in so very long.

"..."

I picked him up and placed him on my shoulders, my body feeling numb. This...that shouldn't be

happening, that had happened years and years ago...happening again? Lloyd sighed in relief and

looked around.

"Hee hee!" he laughed. "So this is what it was wike!"

"...Lloyd..." I whispered, looking over at him.

"Hm?" he blinked. "...Sowy, Dad. Are you mad at me?"

Mad? No. I could never be mad. I was overjoyed, so happy I could break down...but...

"...Lloyd. I appreciate this. I do, but..." I trailed.

"Hm?" he blinked.

"...You're not a child anymore." I whispered. "...I'd rather spend time with you. The you you are

now...the one I know you as..."

Lloyd blinked and then slid off my shoulders, a second later he was his teenage self.

"...Thanks, Dad." he smiled.

"...Thanks for what?" I asked.

"...Well...sometimes I thought you...missed the old me more. That you liked the old me more." he

muttered sadly. "The me when I was a little kid...thanks because...you do like me. You know?"

I laughed.

"Lloyd, I played double agent against a powerful psychotic obssesive ex-student, killed, lied, and

rasied my own sword against you in order to protect you. I would say I like you." I smirked.

"...Heheh." he grinned. "Yeah. I guess that was a stupid question."

I smiled.

"Heheh..." he looked out at the stars. "I'm...gonna miss you, Dad."

"..." I paled. "Is it...time?"

"...Almost." he muttered. "...But...Dad, you know that I...that I love you, right?"

"..." I nodded. "Yes."

"...Okay...because, I never told you that before...I felt bad..." he mumbled sadly.

"...Don't." I said. "..."

"...It's about time." Lloyd stated, looking at the sky.

"..."

"...Try not to miss me too much, huh?" he looked at me, grinning. "I'll visit next time I can."

"...Take care." I said, dreading the moment he would disappear.

"...Oh, and Dad?" he asked.

"Yes?" I asked.

"...Here. Since you gave me yours, I thought I'd..."

"..."

A locket, a finely crafted locket. No doubt Lloyd had made it...

"It doesn't have a picture, but I figured you could get one eventually." he smiled.

"...Lloyd..." I whispered.

"Well...I've gotta go..."

The air around Lloyd seemed to open up, glowing faintly. Before I knew what I was doing I had

reached out and grabbed his arm. I didn't want him to leave...I didn't...

_FLASH!  
_

I was standing in the middle of nothingness, looking out through what was like a window of light

before me. I saw Lloyd leaving through it, my arm still outstretched to him. I spotted my arm and

gasped, withdrawing it. The purple gauntlet... I looked down at myself, then looked at a lock of

my hair. Purple-clothes, auburn hair...me.

"Lloyd!" I cried.

Lloyd stopped halfway through the window, looking back at me.

"...Lloyd..." I whispered.

"...Yeah, Dad?" he asked.

He was leaving. Again. I didn't want him to leave...not again...

"...I love you too." I managed to say.

"...Heh. Tell Mom I said bye...see you later, Dad!" he grinned.

Then he was gone, and I found myself back on the lookout tower, still holding the locket.

**Cheresea: Aw...sniff...**

**Lloyd: Yeah...**

**Genis: About time you got this up, Freaky!  
**

**Me: SHUT UP! **

**Lloyd: Well...he has got a point. This did take you a while.**

**Me: Sorry. It turned out to be harder than I thought...though I did like it. n.n Thanks to **

**everyone who gave suggestions! ****Especially to Poet Bucky, who provided me with a long **

**list. I know it took a while, but I hope you're satisfied with it...the ****next chapter will be up **

**soon. I swear! Now that I'm back on track, the updates will come faster...next stop- **

**GASP! The ****well!? OH MAN! . I HATE THAT PLACE!!!!**

**Cheresea: Isn't that the place with zombies and undead hands?**

**Lloyd: (Barfs)**

**Genis: Ew...anyway, please review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Updated faster this time, lol. n.n Though I seem to have lost a few readers...O.o...T.T**

**Cheresea: Oh I'm sure they just haven't gotten to reviewing.**

**Me: Y-yeah...hopefully...I mean, the story's not that bad, right?  
**

**Genis: Oh stop being so under-confident.**

**Me: Okay, sorry..**

**Lloyd: Hey! Don't take Colette's line!**

**Me: oh, sorry- DAMMIT! . **

**Cheresea: Hee hee. Freakyanimegal owns nothing.**

I clutched the locket in my hand, staring off into space where Lloyd had just stood.

"...Kratos...?" Navi asked softly.

I didn't answer her, gazing longingly where my son had disappeared... I looked at the locket, my

eyes watering somewhat. ...I slipped it around my neck and sat there for a moment...

"..." I stood up. "Let's go, Navi."

"Huh-? Go where-?"

"I'm going to the temple of time, then...the Kokiri forest, I assume."

"...Oh." she said simply.

Ironic, who'd have thought there'd be a time when I had my wife, but not my son? Then...I had

thought I hadn't had either of them for a time... I pulled out the ocarina and soon found myself in

the temple. I walked past the pedestal which held the three stones my sister had sent me for, then

to the sword pedestal. I replaced the sword.

"..."

In another second, I was only a few feet tall.

"..Let's go, Navi." I said.

"Huh? Right...okay..." she dingled. "Um...Kratos?"

"What is it?" I asked.

"Don't you think you should check out Kakiriko first?"

"What? What for?" I asked.

"Well...that guy in the mill said a kid with an instrument played that song seven years ago, right?"

she said. "Don't you think that might be a little...coincidental?"

Come to think of it...

"..." I sighed. "All right, we'll check it out real quick."

"Okay. We can go see Anna RIGHT after, okay?" she said.

I nodded curtly and set off, the locket under my clothes giving me a sense of comfort... It was like

Lloyd, to do such a thing...not to say I didn't appreciate it. After walking through the town and

coming to the village beneath the volcano, I proceeded to go into the mill, where the insane man

was...sane?

"Oh! Hello!" he smiled. "Watch the mill go round and round! Hee hee!"

Well...ahem...somewhat sane.

"You know, they say if this mill were to go REALLY REALLY fast, the water in the well would

dry up! HAH! What a funny story! What could make the mill go that fast, anyway?" he laughed.

Hm...this _was_ too coincidental...I took out the ocarina and played the song form before, the stors,

that sounds better. At any rate, as soon as I played it the mill went haywire just like when I had

done it before. I heardthunder and a downpour of rain as the mill went beserk.

"Wh-WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Deciding I did not want to be aroud the man as he lost his mind, I ran for the door and was out in

the rain in seconds. Pecuilar, but not a minute after I had gotten outside the rain subsided...

"Kratos! Look!"

I looked where Navi was indicating. The well...had just drained!? Interesting...

"..." I smirked. "Perhaps we should...investigate."

A few minutes later, I was regretting the thought. Very, very, very much.

"LOOK OUT!"

I leapt aside as another decaying hand attempted to grab me, I sliced it in half without thinking

before realizing I had gone too close to the green acidic liquid in the ground. I yelped and leapt

away from the ooze only to find myself attacked by yet more zombie-like creatures, tripping, and

heading right toward a wall.

"Ah-!"

I braced myself for impact only to find...I fell right through it.

"..." I groaned. "This place is REALLY messing with me..."

"Yeah, going through walls is a little confusing..." Navi dingled.

"Like you're any help." I snorted. "All you do is buzz around the skeletons..."

"Hey! There's some VERY unusual things about those skeletons!"

"Besides being skeletons, you mean?" I scoffed.

"Grrr..." Navi turned red.

I sighed and got to my feet, walking forward moreso before-

"KRATOS!"

I turned on heel and felt the color leave my face. Oh no.

"Kratos! Move!" Navi cried.

I couldn't move. The re-dead had paralyzed me with it's screetch, and it's presence...

"..." I shook.

"KRATOS! MOVE NOW!"

My body wouldn't listen to me, I just-

_DAD!  
_

I flinched and felt the locket against my skin. Lloyd's locket...

"KRATOS!" Navi cried again.

I leapt forward with a shout, cleaving the re-dead in half down the center.

"Hff...hff...hff..." I panted.

"Whew...you had me worried." Navi sighed in relief.

"..." I took a deep breath, "We need to get moving."

This well was probably a glance of what hell looked like, I wager... After more re-deads,

zombified hands, acid, skeletons... and a particularly nasty zombie, I uncovered a chest...

"What is this?" I blinked.

It looked like some type of lense, in the shape of an eye.

"Oh! It's the eye of truth!" Navi said. "This thing can see things you normally can't!"

"Like what?" I huffed. "Dead things?"

"...You're very sarcastic today." she said.

My lip twitched and I all but growled at her.

"Um...okay..." she said quietly.

After getting through the well and back up to the sun as fast as possible, I took it upon myself to

plop onto the ground in order to thank the spirits and goddesses I was still alive.

"I hope I NEVER have to go to a place like that again..."

(A/N A moment to savor the irony...)

"You can go see Anna now, if you want." Navi dingled.

"..." I glared at her.

"...You're still mad at me, aren't you?" her wings drooped.

"..."

"That's a yes."

After catching my breathe, I took out the ocarina and played the Minuet of the Forest. In a rather

odd warping sensation that I found much more unsettling than mana-warps, I found myself in the

meadow before the temple...

"...Oh! Kratos!"

Anna stopped playing her ocarina and ran over to me, smiling.

"It's good to see you!" she grinned. "I- ...hey, are you okay?"

I imagine I still looked pale.

"I...had a long day..." I sighed.

"...Lloyd left, didn't he?" she whispered.

I felt a jolt to my heart and flinched, Anna paled.

"O-oh! I'm sorry, Kratos! I shouldn't have said that!" she stammered.

"It's fine." I lied. "..."

"...Hey, I've got something that might cheer you up." she smiled.

"Hm? What is it?" I titled my head to the side.

Anna grinned and pulled something out of her pocket. A blue and green...feather...

"..." I paled.

"Lloyd gave this to me, to remember him by." she smiled sadly. "...You can borrow it, for a little

while, if you want... You look like you're trying really hard and you miss him, so..."

She held the feather out to me, smiling.

"..." I shook my head. "Anna, I can't-"

"Oh nonsense!" she huffed. "Take it!"

"But-"

"Take it or I'll slap you!!" she roared.

I took it.

"Good boy!" she grinned.

"..." I sighed.

The feather was soft, warm, much like my own- that is...if I still have them...

"...Okay, what's wrong NOW?" she sighed.

"Nothing." I put it in my pocket. "How have you been?"

"Changing the subject, huh?" she smirked. "...Oh all right...I've been okay."

"Mido's been staying away from you?" I muttered darkly.

"Of course! He's too much of a coward to come in here, anyway." she shrugged.

"Heh." I smirked.

"So how goes the 'saving the world' deal?" she teased.

"...Tiring." I said simply.

"Oh, you'll pull through." she smiled. "You always do, in the end."

"..."

"Navi been driving you nuts?" she laughed.

"Yes." I snapped.

Anna stared and Navi's wings drooped.

"...Oh...okay..." Anna said out of loss for words.

"...I...that is..." I sighed. "I apologize."

"Don't say sorry to ME, silly." Anna smirked.

I sighed again, "...I'm sorry, Navi."

"It's okay!" Navi dingled happily.

I sighed, "...Anna-"

I was interrupted by several loud howling sounds, causing me to draw my sword and Anna to let

out a yelp of shock coupled with several swear words. A pack of wolfos had entered the

meadow, looking hungry.

"Woah! What are THESE guys doing here?!" Navi dingled.

"Anna! Hide!" I shouted.

"R-right!"

Anna ran off behind the pillar of the temple, leaving me to the monsters. One lunged at me in an

attempt to bite my arm to which I retaliated by slicing it's throat. Two others lunged for me from

the sides thus I leapt backwards which caused them to slam into each other in a tangle of limbs. I

quickly exterminated them-

"KRATOS!!"

Two of the remaining three knocked me down from behind, pinning me to the floor. The wolfos

leader approached me hungrily, no doubt eager to sink it's teeth into my neck.

"No! DON'T YOU DARE-!"

Anna ran out of her hiding place, heading for us.

"ANNA!"

The idiot! I told her to stay hidden! She was going to get herself killed!!

"Anna! Run!" Navi cried.

I heard a yelp followed by a thud and growls.

"..." I went wide-eyed.

They had Anna.

"No...NOT AGAIN!!" I shouted.

I felt something...warm, coming from my pocket- The feather? No...not just the feather, the

feather and the locket Lloyd had given us, along with a prickling sensation in my hand...

Suddenly, I felt a surge of mana- er, of energy, flood my body and then I simply knocked the

wolfos off of my body with the sword.

"Anna!!"

Anna was pinned down by the wolfos, one of which was about to crush her neck...

"VICTORY LIGHT SPEAR!!"

I knocked the woflos into the air and stabbed it through the head before landing on the ground, it's

corpse falling a few feet away. Anna looked up at me and went wide-eyed.

"Kr-?"

The other three wolfos attacked and I slashed through them-

"..."

Wait...the Kokiri sword wasn't that long...and since when did the woflos shrink...?

"Kratos! Your left!" Navi cried.

I turned and sliced the last wolfos' throat, it fell dead to the ground.

"..." I sighed in relief.

"Kratos?!"

I looked to Anna-

"..."

Why...was Anna...short...?

"Um..." Navi fluttered uncomfortably.

"No way..." Anna gaped at me, "Kratos! How did-?!"

She ran up to me and grabbed my arm, pulling it forward.

"What-?" I whispered in shock.

My adult-sized, purple-gloved arm.

"HOLY SHITAKE MUSHROOMS ON A STICK!!" Anna cried.

I all but dropped my sword and yanked my arm away, examining it with a look of shock on my

face I'm sure not many people aside from my family or Yuan have seen. I was...me. I looked over

my shoulder and saw my old purple swallow-tailed cloak, my auburn hair falling in front of my

face as usual.

"How...did...?" I whispered, "This...?"

Suddenly the ground didn't seem so far away, my arms were free from any garb and the green

outfit clothing me once more. Anna let out a yelp and I'm quite sure Navi almost fainted.

"Happen?" I finished in a much higher voice.

"...OKAY! WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!" Anna cried.

"I...I don't..." I looked around, the world much larger again.

"What the HELL! You just- then you- and then-...I'm gonna sit down."

Anna held her head and walked over to sit on her stump, groaning.

"That was really...weird." Kilia dingled beside her.

"..."

I didn't understand. What had just happened...? It didn't make any sense at all...

"Kratos...? Are you okay...?" Navi asked.

I nodded slowly, dazed as Anna was bashing her head against a pillar.

"...Anna. Stop that." I stated, "You'll hurt yourself."

Anna gave one final bash before looking at me-...well, more like glaring.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" she cried.

"I- I don't-" I stammered.

"Kratos! What just happened!? Tell me! NOW!" she demanded.

"I don't know!" I cried, "I really don't know!!"

She glared before sighing.

"Life is NEVER normal when you know you." she muttered.

"...Hmph," I pouted.

There was a long silence, seeing as we really didn't know what to say...

"Um..." Navi dingled. "Kratos, shouldn't we get moving? The Shadow temple is next, right?"

I sighed, "Right... Anna."

"Huh? What?" she asked.

"Go back to the village."

"WHAT?!" she roared, "You can't tell me what to-!"

"Anna, this place isn't safe," I snapped, "You were almost dead."

"W-well..." she frowned.

"...I want to know you're safe." I whispered "I don't want to lose you again..."

"Aw..." she smirked. "You're so SWEET!"

Anna hugged me tightly before releasing me with a grin.

"..." I flushed slightly.

"If it worries you THAT much, I'll go back," she smiled.

"...Thank you." I said.

"One condition."

"What's that?"

"When you find out what the hell that was about, TELL ME!!"

I flinched, "I will, Anna. I swear."

What _was _that all about...?

"Do you want me to escort you home?" I asked.

"I can get there myself, silly." Anna smirked, "I always do."

"Are you certain? After what just happened I don't want to risk you getting hurt-"

"I'll be FINE," Anna griped. "Just go, okay? Don't worry about me."

"But-"

Anna glared at me in a very final way.

"..." I sighed, "All right...I'll leave now."

I took out the ocarina and Anna grabbed my arm.

"...Yes?" I asked.

"Hang in there, okay?" she whispered, "I know you're tough, but..."

I felt myself smile slightly and I kissed her hand.

"I'll be back soon. I promise."

"...Right. You'd better keep that promise!" she grinned.

"I will." I stated, "...Take care."

I played the prelude of light and saw Anna wave a second before I found myself at the altar in the

Temple of Time. Now that she wasn't around, I hastily pulled out the locket and feather Lloyd had

given us. I looked them over, but I couldn't find or sense anything strange about them...yet...I was

so certain they had something to do with what happened a few minutes ago...Impossible, really,

but...this whole thing was impossible...

I sighed, "...Sitting here isn't going to get me answers."

I tucked them back into my collar and headed for the sword pedestal, pulling it out again. It

seemed rather annoying now, pulling it out, putting it in, pulling it out again... I guess it couldn't be

helped, however... Once I had pulled out the sword I headed out of the Temple and stopped. To

get to Kakiriko...I'd have to either go through the town, or fly, but I wasn't...really sure if I had

wings anymore. I closed my eyes a moment and attempted to draw them forth-

And got nothing.

"..." I sighed, "I see..."

"What's the matter, Kratos?" Navi asked.

"...Apparently I no longer have my wings." I sighed, "Then, it is to be expected...after all that's

happened to me, my hair turning blonde, my eyes blue, losing my memory and..."

"...Oh...I'm sorry, Kratos," Navi drooped.

"It's not your fault, " I stated, "...I suppose we're going to have to go through the town..."

I shuddered, just thinking of those things...unnerved me. Once I had gotten through the town as

fast as my legs would carry me, I stopped in the field to catch my breath-

"Oh!" Navi dingled, "Kratos, is that smoke?"

I looked up in the direction of Kakiriko and indeed saw black smoke billowing up agains the sky.

My eyes snapped open, this was not good...not in the least... I called Noishe and as quickly as we

could headed for the town...

"What's going on...?" I whispered.

Noishe whinnied something.

"She says: 'How the heck should I know'?"

I sighed, "That's very helpful, Noishe."

Noishe whinnied in a way most like a laugh, angering me a bit. However, once we had arrived at

the stairs I gave a quick goodbye to Noishe before running in, the scent of smoke in my nose.

"I don't like this..." I muttered, "..."

I stopped dead in my tracks, the village was burning. I heard people screaming beyond my view

and the smell of smoke almost chortled me, that's when I spotted something interesting...

"Hey, isn't that...?" Navi dingled.

I ran up to the unorthodox person only to find it to be Sheik, who was looking at the well. I had

my sword drawn and she turned to face me, her red eyes going wide.

"Stop!" she cried, "Don't come any closer!"

"What's going on here?" I hissed.

"The well..." she looked to it, concern evident despite only her eyes being visible, "An evil spirit

has been released from this well...it probably has to do with the disturbance at the temple..."

"..."

"Impa went in to investigate, but she hasn't returned and now-"

There was a sudden rumbling sound and then a cracking one as the beam above the will shattered.

Some nearly invisible...force, came from the well and charged at Sheik.

"Sheik!" I cried.

"Oh no!" Navi dingled.

The force threw her up in the air before throwing her into the ground with such force that her body

skidded to make a rut in the dirt. I ran to her and the force charged for us once more.

"Kratos-!!" Navi cried.

Without thinking how useless it may have been, I drew the Master Sword- Wait...the Master

Sword! It's the blade of evil's bane...thus it _could _hurt this thing... I got between it and Sheik and it

halted a moment, I had the distinct feeling it was weighing me up. Deciding it didn't wish to face

the sword, it fled into the mountains. I gave a sigh of relief and then knelt down next to Sheik,

whom was unconscious. Curses, if only I could use healing spells...wait, come to think of it... I

believe I had some blue potion stored away for an emergency, and this seemed to qualify. I took

out the bottle and gently lifted her head up, I went to remove her mask-

"Ugh-!"

Her hand shot up and grasped my wrist, preventing me from touching her. Sheik's red eyes

looked quite irritated as she sat up before being struck with the pain of her injuries.

"Uh..."

"...Are you all right?" I asked.

"I'll be fine." she said stubbornly, "...What are you still doing here?"

"Hm?" I blinked.

"You need to head for the temple..." she groaned, holding her arm, "Impa already went in and

she's probably in trouble...as the Hero of Time, you must- ugh..."

"You shouldn't move-"

"No, there's no time," she scrunched up her eyes in pain.

"..."

She reminded me very much of Yuan, at the moment...business always came first. Sheik

stubbornly got to her feet and I as well, she looked at me before pulling out a harp.

"This melody will get you to the temple," she said, "Listen."

I hesitated a moment before taking out the ocarina. I listened to the nocturne before repeating it

back to her and once I had it, she seemed very much relieved. She sighed before backing up...

"Get going, you're needed," she said.

With her trademark 'CRACK' sound, she disappeared.

"..."

"...Hey...Kratos, do you know her?"

"Hm?" I looked at her.

"The way she talks, it sounds like she knows you really well."

"..."

Hm...interesting... Well, I didn't see a point sticking around here...

"Let's go," I stated.

I brought the ocarina to my lips and found myself warped away by a violet light. Once it faded I

found myself in the graveyard-...come to think of it, does that large tombstone have the Triforce

crest on it? Perhaps I should investigate it very quick? Anything with that crest tends to be helpful.

"Hey!" Navi cried, "Should we check it out real fast?"

"...It can't be that time-consuming, it might be helpful," I stated.

I jumped down before it and took the crest as a hint to play Mae's Lullaby. I expected something

to happen, what I didn't expect however was for it to be a bolt of lighting obliterating the tomb.

"EEK!" Navi dingled.

"..." I paled, "They had better not charge me for vandalism..."

All that was left in the floor was a hole...which, by instinct now, I jumped down. Down below I

found yet more skeletons and further in...more re-deads. I _despise _re-deads...

"This had better be worth the trouble..." I growled.

Upon reaching the innermost chamber, I found something that aggravated me to no end. In the

tomb wasn't something _useful_ just some tune scrawled onto the wall-! ...Wait...ahem, I didn't

forget, I swear. I took out the ocarina and played the song...upon which, nothing happened.

THEN I got angry. On the way out I was ready to slice every single re-dead to pieces-...only to

find them all frozen solid... Wait...it called it the sun song...so it brings out the sun...and freezes re-

deads in their tracks? ...Hm...perhaps it wasn't too bad of a find after all... I smirked and walked

out of the tomb, but not before stabbing them through their heads while they were paralyzed.

...Somehow I have the feeling Lloyd would make a joke at this point...

"Well, that was kind of a meaningless detour..." Navi dingled.

"You're the one who said we should investigate," I sighed, "Let's get back on track."

I played the Nocture of Shadow and found myself on the pedestal once more. Upon walking in I

noted the torces all positioned in a circle around a pedestal... Hm... I hopped a top the pedestal...

"DIN'S FIRE!"

The fire errupted out from me and lit all the torces, the door before me giving a sound indicating

that I had unlocked it. Feeling satisfied with myself, I walked into the door with only one hope...

That I wouldn't see anymore re-deads anytime soon.

**Me: AHAHAHAHHAHA! THE IRONY!!!!**

**Genis: That was kinda low. **

Lloyd: Yeah, we all know the shadow temple's full of re-deads!  


**Cheresea: Could you keep it down? I'm trying to get the courage spirit...**

**Me, Lloyd and Genis: Huh-? What're you-?**

**Cheresea: This is tricky, okay? I need to find that gem thingy-**

**Me: Are you playing Zelda: Phantom Hourglass?!**

**Cheresea:...Maybe...**

**Me: EVEN WORSE! You're playing MY file!!**

**Cheresea:...So?**

**Me: You could've asked!!!  
**

**Cheresea: But it's fuuuuuuuun! Ciela's much cooler than Navi!  
**

**Me: GIVE IT!  
**

**(Girls fight over DS)**

**Lloyd:...Um..okay...**

**Genis: Oh great, another Zelda game...**

**Me: OH! Good point! So letsee...we're gonna have 'Legend of Kratos', 'Legend of **

**Kratos: Mithos' Mask', 'Legend of ****Kratos: SylphWaker', 'Legend of Kratos: Twilight **

**Angel' and then of course with this new one, it's...hm... 'Legend of ****Kratos: Astral **

**Hourglass', I guess...unless someone can think of a better one! n.n'**

**Genis: Review! Even though she's lost ten readers!**

**Me: STOP REMINDING MEEEEE!!! T.T**


	20. Chapter 20

**O.O Mis leadores! Ellos son aqui!!**

**Everyone else: HUH!?  
**

**Me: My readers! They're back! n.n Hi, guys!!**

**Cheresea: If you say so...**

**Genis: Did she even say that right?**

**Lloyd: Oh who cares, Freakyanimegal owns nothing!  
**

...I have established that whatever creating force exists, hates me.

"KRATOS! DUCK!"

I rolled under a scythe as it swirled overhead, having been to busy running from about five re-

deads to realize where it was I was going. I escaped the scythes reach only to find myself in yet

another hallway filled with carvings of skulls. I swore under my breath before taking out the lense

of truth and searching for another path...

"Today just isn't a good day for you, is it?" Navi asked.

"Oh NO, it's PERFECT!" I snarled. "I went to the bottom of the zombie infested well to find the

damn lense I don't even need, saved my past wife from wolfos hence discovering I can revert to

my old form, found the village on fire, almost got attacked by the mystery-woman I saved, went

down to face zombies for a little tune that makes the SUN COME UP, and then hopped into

this zombie-ghost-demon-illusion-scythe-filled temple to find the sluttly-nanny woman I don't

even like but I have to for Hyrule's sake and for my sisters and ALL before lunch!! WHAT

COULD BE BETTER?!"

"...I'll take that as a no." Navi said simply.

"..." I glared at her.

"Um...shutting up."

Navi shutting up? When hell froze over.

"Let's go." I sighed.

Of course, I was right...she was silent for all of two seconds. The annoying little pest continued

to nag at me for several minutes about things that weren't helpful in the very least. After a little

more adventuring I found a set of goldish boots, which would apparently let me walk over the air

for a limited amount of time...

"...This is insulting." I muttered.

"Huh? What is?" Navi asked.

"I lose my wings and the same day, I find an item that lets me hover?" I sighed.

"Yeah...that is kinda ironic..."

"I wouldn't need this annoying little things if..." I sighed, "Let's go."

It wasn't much longer after that when I walked into the boss' lair. How did I know it was the

boss lair? It was fairly obvious after the second one of these I did. The large, empty room holds

the biggest monster, either that or a hole that drops you down into mortal peril from a height that

would kill you-...

Martel damn it.

"A hole?" Navi whirled, "I think you're going to have to jump this one."

"..." I looked down it, "...So it seems..."

I sighed and jumped down into the hole, landing on my feet. Hm...four-thousand years of being

alive did give you some benefits, such as learning to jump from high places without being

injured...

Oh Sylph.

"WOAH!!" Navi dingled.

I almost fell over as a shockwave went through the floor, a grotesque, ghostly hand beating it. A

hand without an arm. It lifted up to join it's partner in the air, in between them hovered an eye.

...What is it with eyes?

"Kratos! Move!"

I dodged the second hand as another shockwave threatened to knock me off my feet. This was

ridiculous! I wouldn't be able to stand much longer unless I got off the floor-...hm..or...

"That's it!"

I quickly equipped the hover boots and found myself skating over the drum-like floor. When the

next hand slammed against the floor the vibrations had almost no affect whatsoever. I smirked.

"Perfect."

It didn't take me long to discover how to destroy the creature, though I still ponder how arrows

can have any affect on ghosts... I had always thought them intagible. The familiar blue light...

"..."

I stepped into it and found myself in the Chamber of the Sages.

"Thank you." Impa nodded upon seeing me.

"Woah! You're the Shadow Sage?!" Navi gasped.

"...It was kind of obvious." I stated.

"Huh? It was?" she dingled.

I laughed, "Well, of course...you don't see a pattern here?"

"He is wise," Impa smiled, "I shall grant you the medallion."

The violet medal appeared in my hand, thus I bowed my head.

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome."

"..."

"You want to know what happened to your sister."

I flinched. Had I become that easy to read?

"...Yes." I stated.

"...She told me, in our time running from Mithos, of your past situations." she stated, closing her

eyes, "You are both greatly burdened, are you not? To be more than what you are..."

"..." I glanced aside, "...It...is difficult, but..."

"Impa, don't you know where Princess Mae is?" Navi asked.

Impa shook her head, "As of this moment? No."

"..." I sighed, "I see..."

"I am sure she is safe, however." the woman said, "She's rather...stubborn."

I smirked, "Yes, she can be rather...rambunctious, at times."

"Heh," she smirked, "You'll see her soon, I wager..."

The room began to dissolve from my sight and soon I felt the platform beneath my feet.

"..."

"Hey, Kratos? Cheer up!" Navi dingled, "I'm sure she's right!"

"...Thank you, Navi." I stated.

"No problem!" she dingled.

"Hm...so we're down to the last temple..."

"The Spirit Temple, I think..." Navi said.

"Sheik said it was in the 'goddess of sand'.."

"That must mean the desert to the west." she said. "That's the Gerudo stronghold..."

Gerudo...weren't they...? Damn, this wasn't gong to be easy...

I sighed, "Let's go."

I jumped down from the temple entrance and made my way into the town. Apparently, things

had been put under control while I had been away. Though some homes had been badly burned,

most of the town wasn't badly harmed. People were already going about rebuilding it, despite

the fact the sun was coming up-...The sun was coming up? Already? I had been in that damned

place the whole night? I sighed. I wasn't ready for this...I was exhausted, bruised, cut, hungry

and depressed. All I wanted was to get a good nights sleep-... Wait...if the suns song made the

sun come up at night... I took out the ocarina and played the tune. As if the entire world

sped up around me, I watched the day pass. The sun zipped high into the sky before settling

down into the horizon while the people zoomed about like humming birds and before I knew it-

it stopped. Just...stopped.

"Woah!" Navi dingled.

"It's sunset..." I whispered, "...Hm...maybe it was worth something..."

I felt a yawn tear out of my body and I rubbed my eyes.

"Let's go find somewhere to sleep for the night..." I yawned.

In the end, however, there was no place for me. All the houses were needed by the townsfolk to

shelter those that had lost their homes. I couldn't take it from them, but where did that leave me?

I was too exhausted to travel any futher until I got some rest...I suppose I'd just have to sleep

outside... This plan worked for about the first five minutes before it began to rain. I swore and

took out the ocarina. Maybe the song of storms would have the same affect as the suns song?

Maybe it would stop? However, that was not the case and it only began to rain harder.

I swore, "ARGH! Can't someone cut me a little slack?!"

"All right." a voice said.

There was a cracking sound and the next moment-

"..."

The little home in the tree, the little bed, Links house, my house. Perhaps it was merley the fact I

was exhausted, or maybe it was the Link part of me that was so relieved to see it, but I was

overjoyed, regardless of how unable I was to express it. I turned to look where the voice had

been, wondering how I had come here.

"You!" Navi dingled.

"..."

Sheik was behind us, soaking wet and looking just as tired as I was.

"...It's not good to sleep out in the rain," she said.

"...Why-?"

"Think of it as a thank you for earlier," she said, "...Get some rest-"

She stumbled.

"Sheik-!"

"I'm fine. It's just my wound, it hasn't quite healed yet-"

She fumbled again.

"..." I sighed, "Here, you can use my bed."

Sheik looked up at me, somewhat surprised looking.

"It's small, but at least it's comfortable. You shouldn't be traveling like that."

Silence.

"...Where will you sleep?" she asked.

"The floor is fine," I stated, "It's dry."

After all, I was so tired I could've fallen asleep on rocks if need be.

"...Fine, just this once..." she muttered.

In a second she had plopped down onto my bed, eyes closed and breathing slowed. She

certaintly fell asleep fast for a Sheikah. After all, the tribe reminded me much of Sheena's people

of Mizuho. Their fighting styles were similar, their annoying way of appearing and disappearing,

even the air of secrecy. I sighed sat against the wall, taking my hat off to shake out my hair. With

a yawn I removed my shield and sword, placing them by my side. My head rested atop the

shield, not a very comfortable pillow in the least, but I hardly cared at this point. The only thing I

could really think of was what Anna would say if she found out I slept in the same room as the

strange woman... I shuddered. She'd have my head for this...

I yawned, "Good night, Navi..."

"Good night," she dingled softly, settling inside my hat on the floor.

I took one last look at the sleeping Sheikah on my bed and once again had that tinge I felt

before. The tinge of familiarity. I know I had not met this person before..

Yet I still couldn't shake the feeling...

I sighed, "..."

Well, I'd figure it out eventually... I always seemed to, after all.

"Tch..." I muttered.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep...

--------------------

Dingle.

"Mmmph..."

"Kratos!"

Dingle dingle.

"Gimme a minute, Naggy..." I mumbled.

"NAGGY!?"

"Woah-!"

I jolted awake after said annoying fairy had screetched in my ear. I rubbed my ears and set my

hat back on my head while I looked around, trying to avoid looking at said annoying fairy.

"NAGGY!? I am not NAGGY! I-!"

Nag nag nag, etc. Hm...Sheik's gone...not that I expected she would still be here. I yawned as I

got to my feet, hm...she even fixed the bed. For a rouge, she certaintly had some manners...

"HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING!?"

"Huh-?" I turned to Navi, "Actually, no...what were you saying?"

Navi began to bash herself into the wall, a sight a found rather amusing and considered allowing

her to do so for the next hour when she turned to me once more. Judging by the way she's

shaking, I had aggravated her somewhat.

"We have to go to the last temple! Remember?!"

"Oh, right," I nodded, "...Which is where?"

"It should be in the desert," she said, "because Sheik mentioned sand..."

"All right then," I headed for the door, "that would be to the northwest, correct?"

"Yep!" she dingled, "Let's get a move on!"

I made my way out of the Kokiri village post-haste, not wanting to be questioned if anyone saw

me coming from the house that supossedly wasn't mine anymore. I could only imagine how such

a conversation would go... Once safely outside, I used the ocarina to call Noishe... It amazes me

she can hear it from anywhere, I mean, in her old form I could believe it due to the size of her

ears, but here... Whatever, I had more important things to worry about.

"Hey, Noishe," I smiled, "you don't mind taking me somewhere, right?"

Noishe whinnied, flapping her now short ears.

I smirked, "Heh, then let's go."

So we rode out to the desert entrance...which was no longer there. A long bridge had once been

here, by the looks of it, but now was nothing more than an obstacle, seeing as it had fallen.

"...Damn," I muttered.

"What's wrong, Kratos?" Navi asked.

"Navi, I can't fly anymore."

"Huh-? Oh! That's right! Um...can you reach it with your hookshot?"

I disembarked Noishe and walked forward, attempting to get the opposite post in line with the

hookshot. To my displeasure, the damned thing couldn't reach that far. I swore, how...?

"...Noishe?" I turned to look at her.

Noishe titled her head to the side, curious.

"...How far can you jump?"

"WHAT?!" Navi cried, "Are you CRAZY!?"

"Do you have another idea?" I asked.

"W-well...no, but-!"

Noishe whinnied something.

"Not you too!!" Navi cried, "You're both completely insane!"

"I suppose that means Mithos rubbed off on us," I sighed.

Noishe made a sound I swear was equivalent to a laugh.

"Oooohhh..." Navi groaned.

She flew under my hat and I boarded Noishe again.

"All right, let's get a head start."

We backed up as far as we could possibly go and then...

"HYAH!"

Noishe sped off as fast as her hooves could carry her, the gorge coming closer and closer. I felt

myself swallow nervously, if this didn't work, I swear I was going to kill Noishe in the next life.

"EEEK!" Navi cried.

"NOW!" I snapped.

The next second...we were in the air. I felt my heart stop beating in my chest and my mind

stopped. We seemed to be frozen in the air for a moment...then we began to fall...

"Oh sweet mother of mana..." I muttered.

"EEEK-!"

"NAVI! SHUT UP-! AAH!"

I braced myself...clump. Trot trot trot...we made it?

"..."

We made it!

"We're alive!" Navi cried.

"You could've just flown, Navi," I muttered.

"Oh yeah..." she drooped.

Noishe whinnied.

"I AM NOT AN IDIOT!!"

I snickered.

"HEY!"

Upon entering the fortress, I found it to be just that. A fortress. It was a complex maze of

connected buildings, crawling with Gerudo guards.

Strange, there didn't seem to be a man among them...

The thoughts that follow that one are things I shouldn't say.

"Looks like you're going to have to sneak in." Navi said.

"Of course, because I don't stand out at _all_," I scoffed.

"Huh?"

"I'm wearing green in a desert, I'm blonde among red-heads, and I'm MALE."

"Oh yeah..." Navi trailed, "Hm, maybe this will be hard..."

...I decided against swatting her.

"...All right, let's do this." I said.

I managed to get inside the building without much trouble, that is, until I found an over-weight

man in a cage... I can't help but ponder what an all female society is doing imprisoning males...

Though I can just imagine what Zelos would say.

"Help! You! There!" the man waved.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I was working on the bridge, then me and my buddies were-!"

"Stop right there!"

I spun on a dime and drew my sword in time to meet the blade of another. A Gerudo in yellow

garments had attempted to attack me with one of two curved swords. A smirk played upon her

face when she observed how I had blocked her onslaught, I could've sworn she was thrilled.

The woman cackled.

"Oh, this will be fun..." she grinned.

"Hmph." I snorted.

"HYAH!"

She attempted to bring the other blade at my head, which I blocked via shield before pushing the

other blade away and bring the Master Sword swiping for her other arm. The Gerudo had no

choice but to withdraw her other blade, which left me an opening-

Nevermind.

"Kratos-!" Navi dingled.

The other sword came for me, barely allowing me to dodge it in time. As I leapt backward she

attempted to take advantage of my imbalance and tried at an attack from behind. I spun in mid

jump and knocked her swords out of her grip with my own. A yelp came from her lips and a

second later I had my blade at her throat.

"..." I smirked, "Hm, it was somewhat amusing."

"Hff...hff...FINE! TAKE HIM!"

The woman disappeared in a very Sheikah like manner, leaving behind a key.

"Oh! That must be the one for the cell!" Navi said.

"No, really?" I rolled my eyes.

"Meanie."

I freed the captive, whom cheered.

"Thanks, man! I can never thank you enough!"

"You're welcome." I stated.

"But uh...you see...my other four buddies are..."

"Let me guess, you want me to save them, correct?" I sighed.

"Y-yeah...wow, you're good." he said.

This being a hero thing can be such a burden...

Well, it was after finding three more of his 'buddies' that something unfortunate happened. You

see...they apparently had a cat, a cat which decided to attack Navi...whom decided to scream.

This, as a result, drew the attention of the nearby sentries whom called their friends...and had

surrounded me in the hallway.

"..." I paled, "Excuse me, I was just...passing through-"

"Silence, male!" one guard cried.

I was badly outnumbered, though I could probably take out most of them, I was already

exhausted from the previous fights and the heat to boot... This was not my day in the least.

"Can't we talk about this?"

"Males are not allowed in our fortress!" one cried.

"Ah..." I smirked slightly, "I...see..."

Silence.

"What is it you jest at, male?!"

"Well..." I coughed, "A bunch of women in scantly outfits...alone...all the time..."

"...What mean you?" one growled.

"..."

"He's saying you're lesbians, duh." Navi said.

"WHAT?!"

"Well..." I shrugged, "It would be assumed-"

"WE ARE NOT OF THAT STOCK!!" one cried.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Really!"

"Prove it!" Navi blew a rasberry.

"Why do you think we're capturing him alive?"

...What?

"E-excuse me?!" I stammered, my throat clogging.

"All we've had are those overweight slobs," one girl whined.

"Yes, just think how happy we were to have some fresh meat come in..."

"I- I- what-?!" I was shaking now.

"Not just fresh meat! He's a cute one!" one woman purred.

"Yes, he has a nice build, doesn't he?"

"I call him tonight, I'm the one who found him." another Gerudo growled at me.

How I wish it were a threatening growl.

"L-look, ladies, can't we just-?" I stammered.

"No," one woman purred, "I'll be taking him tommorow night."

I could only imagine what Zelos would say.

"EEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!" Navi cried.

It was time to leave.

"LOOK! OVER THERE!" I cried.

No one turned to look.

"Dammit..."

"You didn't think we'd actually fall for that?" a woman raised an eyebrow.

"Well...it was worth a shot..." I sighed.

Looks like we had to do it the hard way.

"Navi!" I cried.

"Huh-?! What-!?"

"Talk!"

"What-?!"

"TALK! NAG! DO WHAT YOU ALWAYS DO!"

"What-!? OH FINE! LOOK! LISTEN! HEY! WATCH OUT!"

The Gerudos dropped their weapons and covered their ears, crying out in agony.

"I can't believe that worked..." I muttered.

I ran out of the fortress as fast as humanly- ...hylianly, possible, when I realized...

I had forgotten the last captive.

"Um...Kratos-" Navi started.

"I know! I know I forgot him!"

"Oh, so you know we have to go back...right?"

I moaned.

"Though...there's one thing I don't get."

"What?"

"Why would a fat guy that wouldn't get a date otherwise not want to be a sex-toy for a bunch of

scantily clad desert vixens on a nightly basis?" she wondered, turning a slight red.

"..."

"Well?"

"Gay." I said simply.

**XD!!!! That has got to be the most fun I've had writing this since chapter seven!!**

**Cheresea: EW! They wanted him as a sex-slave!?  
**

**Lloyd: UGH! Gross! That's my Dad!!**

**Genis:...**

**Cheresea: Um...what?  
**

**Genis:...I wouldn't mind being a Gerudo captive...**

**Cheresea and Lloyd: O.O**

**Me: And I wouldn't mind taking Kratos as a-..ahem...**

**(Cheresea and Lloyd faint)**

**Me: What? What'd I say?  
**

**Genis: Review, please!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Ahem...Mis lectores estan aqui.**

**Genis: Huh?  
**

**Me: I said it wrong last chapter.**

**Lloyd: HAH HAH!  
**

**Me: Shut up, Lloyd!**

**Cheresea: Heh heh, freakyanimegal owns nothing!**

"Well well, I'm impressed..."

I looked down at the wounded woman on the floor whom was clutching her gut, blood seeping

from cuts all over her body. My sword was pointed at her neck, ready if she attempted to make

another futile attack.

"Hmph," I snorted, "Give up the key and I'll let you live."

Yes, I had gone back to the...place, and defeated the final guard of the-...ahem, 'prisoners'... It

had actually been somewhat of a challenge, these desert dwellers knew full well how to fight...

"Heh heh...all right then," she smiled weakly, "Here."

She tossed the key at my feet before getting to her own, panting.

"I must say, your skills are impressive..." she said.

"..."

"...Yes, maybe you could do it..."

"Hm?" I titled my head to the side.

"...Our leader has been imprisoned in the temple of sands for some time..." she said, "You see,

we did indeed follow Mithos for a time...until we came to realize his insanity..."

Took you long enough.

"She went to the sands in hope of finding the means to defeat him..."

"..."

"...You are the strongest warrior we have yet to face, therefore I would ask this of you to rescue

her," she said, "I realize this is a blatant request, however, we would make it worth your while..."

"..." I raised an eyebrow. "And your intent on how to do that?"

"...Well-" she started, purring.

"I have a woman," I stated, "that won't work."

"...Hmph," she snorted, "then what is it you want? Treasure? What?"

"We just need to get to the temple in the desert..." Navi said.

"That is where she went," she said, "so doesn't this work in both our interests?"

"...Indeed," I stated, "I'll do it."

She nodded gratefully then pulled out a piece of parchment from her pouch.

"Show this to the gatekeeper and she'll let you in," she said, "I was left in charge in our leaders

absence, therefore I will order our women not to attack you in anyway."

I opened my mouth.

"I'll also alert them that you're taken, so flirting is useless."

I closed my mouth.

"Here," she handed my the parchment.

"...Thank you," I nodded, sheathing the sword.

"Good luck, may the goddesses smile on you," she said.

She left in the usual cryptic way, leaving me with the key to the fat-mans cell. I unlocked it and

he zoomed out, running for his life. Distinct mutterings of 'I'm not into S and M!' as he left.

...That explains the whips and chains...

"...If Anna ever finds out about this, she's going to kill me," I sighed.

"So that'll make it even, right?" Navi dingled.

I glared at her.

"Er...I mean..." she swallowed, "Let's head for the desert!"

"...Hmph," I snorted.

After leaving the fortress we came to the gate to the desert, which was guarded by several

females that looked eerily like males... My mind blanked. Oh...well...that explains why SOME

of the Gerudos didn't seem as interested in me as the others... I suppose in the desert, sexual

pickings are...slim...

...Zelos would be in paradise.

"Finally! It's open!" Navis voice brought me out of my thoughts.

The gate had been drawn up, allowing us to proceed...

Triet was a sandbox compared to this.

"WWOOOOAAAHH!!" Navi cried.

The winds blew violently, blowing waves of sand with them. My eyes watered and the sand hit

my skin, burning. I certaintly wouldn't last long in this... I had to get through quickly. The guard

had told me to follow the posts...which were in line of my hookshot. Well well...looks like I've

found my shortcut.

"Here we go...Ah-!"

It worked! I flew about eighty feet across the sand, then laid my sights on another post. This

could be easier than I thought...if I could go fast enought, that was... Before long I had come to

a large building, and seeking shelter from the sand I entered it to find it deserted... Except for a

sign of somesort...

"Follow the spiritual guide..." Navi read.

"Hm..." I frowned, "I wonder..."

I took out the lense of truth-

"Woah-!" Navi dingled.

"..." I gaped.

A poe-like apparition was in front of us, smiling.

"Oh! Hi!" it said, "Did you need to get to the temple?"

"...Uh...yes..." I blinked, surprised such a creature wasn't attacking me.

"Okie-dokie! Just follow me, m'kay?" it grinned.

"...I...er, right, thank you."

The ghost whirled out of the builing and I ran after it, the sands blowing against me once more. It

was diffcult to follow the 'poe' while holding the lense and avoiding monsters, yet I managed to

follow it to the end... Amazing...the temple is...a huge statue? A ruin, Raine would've given her

left arm to see this...hell, both arms! The sandstorm did not reach the area, something I almost

thanked the goddesses for, when I realized I did not believe in such goddesses. Then, I didn't

believe in many 'holy' things since my pupil made his sister into a 'goddess' and I became an

'angel' who wrote the 'holy scripture' in 'heaven. Once you go through something like that,

it makes you quite skeptical. 'Goddesses' my ass, for all I knew, they were probably incest

threesome torch-juggling triplets that got into a posistion where they could cut the worlds

communication and history hence rebuilding society in their image in order to pertain themselves

as gods. After all, Mithos did it.

"We made it!" Navi dingled. "Let's go in!"

"..." I sighed, "Well...at least this is the last one."

We entered the building to find it completely empty of any sort of monster (aside from some

flying pots) but it also lacked something of importance... a door. There were two corridors, one

blocked by a giant stone I couldn't hope to move without angelic prowess, and a hole to small to

squeaze through.

I had done all that for nothing.

"Woah-! Kratos-! Calm down!!!"

See, I was saying quite a few things that can't be repeated...

"What are we suppossed to do now?" I asked after I calmed.

"Well...I dunno..."

I sighed.

"Well, nothing's going to get done around here, let's go."

We walked outside and down the steps-

"All right, you can pop up right behind me now." I sighed.

I turned just as Sheik jumped down into the spot.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"It's not that hard to figure out, you come at every temple."

"Hmph, smart-aleck," she huffed.

"..." I crossed my arms, "So, I suppose you're going to give me a clue?"

"Not even I could give you that," her eyes glinted.

"...Did you just insult me?" I asked.

"In this time, the temple holds no gain for you."

"Don't change the subject-"

"Try another time, then, now..."

She whipped out that damned harp and I sighed.

"Fine..."

I took the ocarina out and learned the Requiem of Spirit. An interesting tune, to say the

least...cryptic, but not so much the nocture of shadow...it held a more...mystical, feel.

"...There," she said, "Now-"

"Wait," I stated, "...I have a question for you."

"Hm?"

"Do you know Impa?"

She hesitated, "Yes...why do you ask?"

"...You wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of my s- Princess Mae, would you?" I asked,

"Impa gave me the impression that she did, however she couldn't say for sure-"

She was gone.

"..." I growled, "Fine then. Don't answer me."

"Sheik is really...weird, huh?" Navi asked.

I shrugged, "I've seen stranger."

Nothing to gain in this time...in THIS time...

"Let's go, Navi."

I played the Prelude to light and arrived at the temple of time. After returning the master sword

to it's post I reverted to a child once more...it was worth a shot... I played the requiem again.

"Huh? What'd you do that for?" Navi asked as we appeared before the temple.

"She said that time had nothing to offer," I rolled my eyes.

"Huh-? OH! I get it now!"

"..."

"What?"

"You're awfully slow, you know that?" I sighed.

I walked into the temple as Navi followed, attempting to scold me the whole way there. The

inside of the temple didn't look any different than last time, aside from there was...a woman? A

woman in white, her head stuck in the hole in the left wing of the temple as if inspecting it... Hm...

"Ah...excuse me?" I asked, walking up to her.

I heard a muffled 'huh?' before the woman pulled her head out of the hole, shaking the dust and

cobwebbings from her head. She sighed and got to her feet, peeling off the offenders.

"Drat, I just can't-"

She turned to me.

"KRATOS!?"

Sweet mother of mana.

"M-martel-!?" I gaped.

She was the last person I expected to see in HYRULE, nonetheless in a Gerudo temple wearing

Gerudo clothing. Her green-tinted hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and unlike the other

Gerudo already because of the fact her hair was green, she also didn't wear the mouth

coverings, or make-up, for that matter...

"Oh my-! Kratos! Is it really you?!"

She knelt down to eye level with me, gaping like a complete idiot, though I suppose I was as

well. I felt a distinct blush at having her see me like this, a blonde, blue-eyed child wearing a

damn _skirt_ accompanied by an annoying flying piece of fluff. However, if she had been

here...Mithos must've known about it...

"Martel!" I gasped, "What're you-?"

She covered her mouth, snickering.

"..." I pouted, "What?"

"I- I'm sorry-!" she laughed, "It's just-! You're so CUTE!!"

I felt my lip twitch as Martel attempted to calm her laughing.

"It's not that funny-" I started.

"AHAHAH! IT IS! Kratos! THE Kratos, is an ADORABLE little kid-!"

I stood there glaring at her as she began to roll on the ground, laughing the hell out of her lungs.

Even Yuan didn't laugh- then...I suppose he would've, had I remembered him at the time... Wait,

Martel couldn't have been the 'leader' they were talking about, right?

Then again...it was most likely...

"HAhhahahh! Hah hah..! Wee...!" she giggled.

"Are you done?" I asked.

"Hold on..HAHAHAH! Yeah...okay...I'm done..." she giggled.

"..."

"Right...so...Kratos, what are you DOING here?" she asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," I said.

"...You...already know what Mithos is doing, don't you?" she asked sadly.

"...Martel-"

"I was so scared...when I realized I was here..." she muttered, "I'm guessing it was just as bad

for you...if not worse. Mithos...he won't listen to me, anymore... I tried...I tried to stop him, I

did. I couldn't stop him when I possessed Colette...I'm sorry for that, by the way, and I thought

after Lloyd stopped him he would've come to his senses... As I'm sure you know by now, he

wouldn't listen...he's...he's so far gone..."

"...I'm sorry," I whispered.

"...It's not your fault," she said, "I tried to stop him, but he made his choice...so I figured, I'd

have to stop him by force if necessary...that's why I came here."

"Hm?"

"You see, there's a weapon of some kind hidden in this temple," she said, "I came to look for it,

but I can't get through this hole to looked around-..."

I didn't like the way she was looking at me.

"...Martel...?" I asked slowly.

"Kratos...I hate to ask this, but could you go in there?"

She gestured to the hole. Hm...that's what I came for anyway, correct?

"I came to explore this temple in the first place," I said, "I don't mind looking for whatever it is

you want while I'm in there. Most likely I'll stumble across it regardless."

Martel smiled, "Oh Kratos! Thank you so much!"

"It's nothing," I stated, "...I'm sorry, but the reason I'm here in the first place is to stop Mithos.

You see...well, I don't know exactly what it is he wants, but he's hurting people..."

"...He wants his age," Martel muttered, "He still won't deviate from his age of lifeless beings,

that's why he's after the Triforce, I figure- You know what that is, right?"

I nodded.

"See...if he gets his wish from that, he'll be able to make his 'age'..."

"I see..."

Yes, that made sense. Mithos...how had you gone so askew...?

"So...we've got to stop him, before he does it all over again..."

"...All right, I'll go in." I stated.

"W-wait-!" she stammered.

"Hm?"

"...I...I know we're not the only ones here, right?" she asked, looking aside, "You, Mithos and

I...so...I was wondering if you've met anyone else we know? Knew?"

"..." I stopped a minute, "Well...Mae, for one, she's the princess of all things..."

Martel snickered.

"What is it?"

"Mae? A princess?" she giggled, "She just doesn't...act, like one, sorry..."

I smirked, "Don't apologize, it's true. Let's see...Mae, Anna..."

"Your wife?" she asked, "Oh! That's wonderful!"

I smiled, "Yes. I've also seen Abigal-"

"Abigal?" Martel twitched.

"...You remember her, don't you?"

She began to twitch more violently.

"That little...OH! I can't stand her! She's such a-! GGRRRR!"

Abigal was the only person Martel ever was capable of hating. You see, they had grown up

together in Heimdall and apparently...well, it involved Yuan...

"Other than them, no one." I said.

"O-oh...no one at all?" she asked, face dowcast.

"Well...Lloyd visited using the Eternal Sword, so did Yuan-"

...I was told not to mention him, did I listen? No. I didn't.

"YUAN!?" she cried.

"H-huh? What's wrong-?"

"OH MY G-! IS HE HERE!? DID HE DIE!? WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!?"

"M-martel-! Calm down, he's not dead- er, there, he-"

"DID ANYTHING BAD HAPPEN TO HIM!?"

"What-? No! He's perfectly-"

"OH! YUAN GOT HURT! OH YUAN-!"

"MARTEL!!" I roared.

"H-huh-? What-?"

"YUAN IS FINE!!" I shouted.

"O-oh..." she blushed, "I'm sorry...I guess I...overreacted..."

I'll say...

"Yuan's fine," I said again, "he just came to 'visit' a little when Lloyd came..."

"O-oh...I see...I'm sorry..." she muttered, turning beet red.

I sighed, "Don't worry about it. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

I turned for the hole in the wall and knelt down to inspect it...Yes, I could fit.

"Wish me luck," I said.

"Yes, good luck." she smiled.

I began to get down on my stomach to crawl in-...

"Martel?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"Can you look the other way?"

"Huh?"

"..."

"He's not wearing pants, so he doesn't want you to see his underwear-! MMPH!"

I grabbed Navi, stuffed her in a bottle, then sealed it.

"Oh-!" Martel blushed, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

"..." I growled.

"I- I- see-mmph...ahahahahahahahahhh!!"

I sighed, "Martel-"

"AHAHAHAH! I-! I'm s-sorry-! AHAH! I'll look away-! AHAHAH!"

She turned to face the other direction, laughing so hard I was worried her ribs would crack. I

grumbled to myself as I made my way into the sand temple, wondering what it was I would have

to go through now...

Oh joy, booby-traps and decaying hands, goody.

"Did I mention I hate these things?" I said as a hand leapt at me.

"Yeah, you did, now hit it!!" Navi cried.

"Hyah!"

Well, the 'dungeon' was easy enough. After all the ones we had perviously been through, it was

really quite easy. At the end we came across a room where a large suit of armor sat in a chair. I

glanced at it a minute before walking toward the door behind it, hopefully this wasn't another-

CLANG!

-trap.

"Kratos! Look out!" Navi dingled.

I leapt aside and drew my sword as the suit of armor turned to face me, clanking as it readied

the large axe it weilded to swipe at me again. A seven-foot tall suit of armor with a weapon that

can dice pillars against a ten-year-old boy with a dagger and a fairy.

Yeah, this looked fair.

I dodged as the being attempted to flatten me, barely able to get behind it-...does its back look

exposed, or am I imagining things? Hm...first I'd have to crack the armor- that's it!

"Take this!" I snapped.

I hurled a bomb at the beings back before leaping backward, the creature gave out a shout of

pain as the armor on it's backside cracked into pieces... I thought it looked like a weakspot.

"WOo! Way to go, Kratos!" Navi dingled.

"Heh," I smirked.

Time to get serious.

"Hyah!"

After several minutes I had successfully defeated the possessed armor, though beaten up

somewhat myself... With a sigh I downed a red potion I had before continuing...outside?

"..."

The door had lead me to a passage outside, on a hand of the statue where a large chest sat.

Perhaps this is what Martel was talking about... I opened the chest to find a pair of silver gloves.

"This can let the wearer move REALLY heavy things!" Navi said.

"Do you suppose this is what Martel wanted-?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"

The scream pierced the air, Navi and I running to look off the side of the statue into the sand

where it had emitted. Two old women were zooming around in circles, cackling as a woman

was being sucked into the sand. My eyes went wide as I saw Martel already waist-deep into the

desert sands, yelling.

"Martel-!" I cried.

"Kratos!" she cried, "Don't worry about me! Get out of here! Now!"

She sank into the sand and the witches turned to me, grinning.

"Damn."

**Me: Guess what month it is! n.n**

**Genis:...December?  
**

**Cheresea: OH! Christmas is coming!**

**Lloyd: It is-? Sweet! PARTAY!**

**(Lloyd, Cheresea and I party)**

**Genis: Okay...um...review?**

**Me: Merry Christmas! n.n**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey, guys! n.n**

**Genis: You seem happier than usual...**

**Cheresea: Because she put something on hiatus?  
**

**Me: OH SHUT UP! ...I'm sorry! But not alot of people were reading it...and I **

**figure if it was out of the way I could write more from my other stories...**

**Lloyd: And?  
**

**Me: It worked! n.n I feel less stressed, so I can write more! n.n**

**Genis:...but you put a story on hiatus.**

**Me: (Struck with guilt)**

**Cheresea: Er...Freakyanimegal owns nothing!  
**

**Me: Oh man...guilty again.**

"EEEK!" Navi cried.

I took out the ocarina and played the Prelude to Light as fast as I possibly could as the witches sped toward me, cackling like the

crones they were. Right before they could reach us I saw the flash and felt the cold stone beneath me, the sun light streaming in

from the windows, alone in the temple.

"..." I sighed in relief.

"Whew! That was close!" Navi dingled.

"..."

"What's wrong-? Oh! Martel!" she cried.

Damn it all...who knows what's become of her now...

"...We need to go back," I stated, "As soon as we go through time..."

"Go back then?! But won't it be too late then!?"

"...Unlikely," I stated, "Mithos would never harm Martel...she'll be fine."

"But-"

"But we're still going to save her as soon as possible," I stated.

"...Right!" Navi nodded.

"Exactly."

I walked into the sword chamber and pulled out the master sword. Once having reached my adolescent form I sighed, as it was

getting a little...dare I say...boring.

...For the love of mana, I'm turning into Lloyd.

"Well...here again!" Navi dingled as we arrived.

"Indeed. Let's get moving." I stated, walking to the temple.

We made our way back into the Spirit Temple and I turned my attention to the second passage which was blocked by a large block.

I slipped on the silver guantlets and examined the stone before touching it. Well...this was the only way I was going to get through, in

my current state... I pressed my hands against it...

"WOAH!" Navi cried.

And easily pushed it through and out of my way.

"..." I stared.

I drew my attention back to the gauntlets. How on earth could they...? Perhaps they were based off an exsphere-like function?

Enhancing the users physcial prowess?

Interesting...

"Wow! That was cool!" Navi dingled.

"...Let's go," I stated.

"Pffth, you're such a stiff..." she complained.

The temple was...needless to say, a ruin. Raine would've willingly cut off her own legs to have a minute in the place. Various statues

and hierogylphics were donned here and there, as well as some large mirrors which were part of an annoying puzzle in the Temple.

Thankfully, there were not a lot of re-deads, but numerous amounts of those hands that fall from the ceiling... Annoying, really, you

slice them and you get three more. At times like that I especially missed being able to obliterate foes with a well aimed judgment

beam... And surprisingly, Navi was almost silent the whole way-

Well...until I found something.

"OOOOOOHHHH! IT'S PRETTY!"

A shield, with a moon and star with a surface like that of a mirror...

"It's the mirror shield! You can deflect magic and light with it!!"

"Hm...interesting," I stated simply.

I equipped the shield and continued searching the place, but...

"Wow! That mirror is just so gorgeous!"

"..."

"It's sparkly! I can see myself in it! Wow!!"

"..."

"Though your wings were so much more sparkly!"

I twitched.

"They were gorgeous! Any fairy would kill to have had wings like that-!"

"Stop it," I hissed, glaring at her.

"Huh? Why?"

"..." my eye twitched, "You think I like being told FAIRIES would want my wings?"

"Uhm...well why not?"

I groaned. I knew those damned things were way too girly, yet I couldn't help missing the ability to fly anyway. ...Which reminds me,

how was it that everyone of us had this girly gayass wings while Lloyd's were like an angelic EAGLE? I didn't find that fair, though to

admit that would be quite childish.

"Nevermind, just stop," I sighed.

We continued onwards before finding yet another of those rooms were an iron knuckle (I believe that's what it's called) sat. As

expected, the door slammed shut behind me.

"EEK!" Navi cried.

I already had my sword out and braced myself for the being to attempt to decapitate me... Though something seemed off...it's

movements were a little too fluid...it seemed a little more...

"KRATOS! DUCK!"

I barely managed to avoid a swipe at my head.

"Hmph," I snorted.

I hurled a bomb at it-

"WHA-!?" Navi cried.

And had to dodge once the being caught it and threw at straight back.

"Is it just me, or is this one smarter?" Navi asked.

"Much," I stated as it came at me again.

Definitely smarter, sentient beings have different styles of movements than plain monsters or animals, whom rely solely on instinct. This

one was definitely smarter...

Then-

"What the-!? GAH!"

I was knocked into the back wall as a wave of wind blew my across the room. When could this thing use magic?! ...What's more...it

was a green wind, glowing...the only type of wind magic I had seen like that was in...

"Kratos!" Navi cried.

The being's weapon came at me again and barely managed to get away. I'd have to be much more careful, this thing wasn't playing

around...

"HYAH!"

I don't know what possessed me to do what I did, but I tried a frontal assault, meeting the knuckle's weapon with my sword. It

pushed back at me in an attempt to knock me back...then I ducked under it's weapon, rolled behind it and stabbed the Master

Sword deep into the bare spot in it's back...

It screamed.

"..."

It didn't shriek, it didn't screetch, it SCREAMED. Like a woman..like... Oh Origin, that scream...I've heard that scream before...

"Wh-what the-!?" Navi cried.

The being plummeted to the floor, blood seeping from it's wound.

"...Oh no...oh please no..." I whispered.

I knelt down and all but tore the helmet off it's head-

"Oh Mana..."

Martel...it was...Martel...

"I-isn't that-!?" Navi cried.

"MARTEL!" I shrieked.

Oh no, not again, no... I'd killed Martel, again. I had killed her...like I had killed Anna...oh no...no! Why did this-!?

"...Martel..." I choked.

Her eyes stared blankly into nothingness, her green hair falling about her face in disarray. My mind instantly flashed back to that

forest...where she had been slain, where she lay lifeless on the ground, Mithos internally dying with her.

"MARTEL!"

It was like living that day over again...pain jabbing at me. Martel was my friend...a very good friend, and I had...no...why...?!

"...K..."

My eyes snapped open. Alive?! SHE WAS ALIVE! I had to- I had to-!!

"Don't speak, stay still," I snapped, "Navi!"

"Wh-what?!" she squeaked.

"Examine the wound, is there anything we can do!?"

Navi whirled around the spot on her back, before perking.

"You remember that other fairy you put in the bottle?"

Ah yes, as reluctant as I was to have another one with me, fairies had incredible healing properties...well, the ones living out of Kokiri

forest. I pulled the bottle out and released the winged being over Martel...

"..."  
Amazing...the blood's gone...healed right up. These little beings had abilities that could even rival Raine's...and that's not easy.

"...Martel..." I said softly.

"...Ugh...K...Kratos!?"

She jolted up right, staggering slightly hence I had to catch her before she fell forward. My heart instantly slowed it's hyper-beating as

I thanked whatever forces that be for the life of my friend.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I...I...where...?" she looked around. "...Why am I wearing this...?"

The armor, after all, hadn't come off...

"...Don't worry about it, are you okay?" I asked.

"Y-yeah..." she nodded. "...Why are you...older?"

"You've been out for seven years," I smiled weakly, "...you haven't aged."

"Well...no..." she muttered, "I- OH NO! WHERE ARE THEY!?"

"They-? Martel, who-?"

"EEHEHHEHEEHEHEH!"

The three of us jolted our attention to the end of the room, where those two hags from before had made their appearance.

"The damn blondie broke our spell, Kotake!" one said.

...Blondie...? ...Tch.

"Oh well, Koume! We can always brainwash her again!!"

Martel shrieked and attempted to run for the door, nearly knocking me over in the process. I lost my footing and before I could get to

my feet again the witches had hurled a ball of magic at Martel and- she was gone.

"..." I paled.

"Wh-what the-!? We just-! HEY!" Navi cried.

"What should we do with blondie?" the red one asked her sister.

"Well, we could kill him, but it'd be more fun, THERE."

"I agree, THERE!"

"You-!" I started forward.

FLASH!  
...They were gone.

"..." I felt my lip curl upwards in a snarl, "damn hags...come on, Navi, we need to find them and get Martel back."

"Right!" she dingled.

Insolent little wenches...how dare they do that to my friend. Nonetheless...had Mithos actually given them permission to use his sister

like that? It didn't seem likely, even for him...more than likely he didn't even know the witches had her. Hmph...no matter. I'd find

them either way.

"We should find them soon," Navi said, "there's not much left to search through."

"I concur, let's hurry." I stated.

"Right!"

After what felt like too long of a time, we finally found an enormous room...which meant the witches were probably in here. On cue,

the door slammed behind me, typical... Though do they really think I want to run? Honestly, at the ranches or what the Grand

Cardinals didn't LOCK YOU IN, they let you come at them because they knew you wanted to get at them. If you DID want to

run...well, that just meant they'd get the opportunity to laugh at your cowardice before killing you from behind. What is it with

powerful foes and fighting in big, important looking places? You'd think I'd know the answer, seeing as I always fought Lloyd in the

Tower of Salvation or before the Origin seal, but avoided him if we were in some random alleyway... Hm...perhaps because I simply

wanted room? Cramped areas make it hard for good fighting conditions...I suppose that could be why.

"..." I pulled out the sword.

"EEHEHEHEH! LOOK! KOTAKE, HE CAME!"

"Well of course! EHEEHEHEH!"

That laughter rivaled the annoying cackle of the false Kilia, which of course made me want to slaughter them all the more.

"Are you going to fight me or talk?" I hissed.

"EHEHEH! AS YOU WISH!"

...I found it strange how in these dungeons, you always need a certain weapon to defeat the boss. Not only is that strange, but they

keep the THE weapon needed in the SAME place... You'd think they'd be smart enough to destroy it, or at least hide it far away. Oh

well, I wasn't complaining. If they were fool enough to do such, their loss.

"Kratos! Ice!"

I reflected the spell back at the red twin, whom cried out in pain as the element hit her. It was really quite a tedious match, you'd think

they'd get the point after a while that I would just reflect the spells back-

...Oh...I think they got it.

"Woah-!" Navi dingled.

The two old hags-...well, meshed together to form a large witch... That with the appearance of a young woman. ...How is it, I ask,

that two ugly old crones are PUT TOGETHER and make a decent looking young female? I mean, any transformations I've seen

result in the appearances becoming more vile. Like the false Kilia, and Lloyd told me about Rodyle...though I shudder at the thought.

"HYAH!" she cried.

Oh, this is nice. She shot ice AND fire at me... Let's see...should be the same basic principle. All right, I absorbed the fire, shoot it at

the blue side-

Bingo, bitch.

...I'm pretty sure I heard that one from Yuan, if I recall correctly.

"AH!"

"Heh," I smirked.

After a while she had fallen...and the two hags comprising her split and in their deaths...began to argue again.

"..." I blinked.

"Kotake, we're DEAD! This is all your fault!"

"Nu-uh, Koume! It's totally your fault!"

"No way! YOU always screw everything up you twit!"

"BITE ME!"

"WHY YOU-! YOUR MOTHER WAS A HOOKER!"

"MY MOTHER IS YOUR MOTHER, RETARD!"

I simply stood there, an eyebrow raised as I watched the twins bicker amongst themselves for several minutes. It was...quite

entertaining, dare I say...though I would never admit that out loud. After their argument, they passed on...

"Hey! Look, it's the warpy thing!" Navi dingled.

The light again. Knowing what to do I stepped in and found myself in the chamber of the Sages...now, knowing what's been going on,

it's probably-

"Martel!" Navi dingled.

...I'm good.

"You did it, Kratos!" she smiled, "Then, I knew you could!"

"Heh," I smirked, "of course."

Martel laughed, "Right. ...Oh! Here's the medallion."

I held my hand out and the piece of metal fell into my hands.

"..That's all of them, isn't it?" she blinked.

"Hey! We got them all!" Navi dingled. "You can go into the Castle now!"

"Right," I nodded.

"Head for the Temple of Time, and take care..." Martel smiled, "...Do your best against my brother...I'm sorry about what he's

done."

"It's not your fault," I shook my head, "just take care."

"...Right." she nodded, "...be careful."

I forced a smile.

"When haven't I been careful?"

"Oh yeah, this is the overly-stiff-stick-in-the-mud, after all," she chirped.

"..." I glared.

"...What? It's true."

"Y'know, it is," Navi agreed.

"...Farewell, Martel."

"Stay safe, and thank you." she smiled.

After landing back in the desert, we once again warped back into the Temple of Time in order to head to the palace-

"Hey! It's you!" Navi dingled.

Sheik was standing in the doorway, most likely she had been waiting for us, from the looks of it... I turned to face her and she closed

her eyes.

"Finally...you've gotten them all," she stated.

"...And what is it you want?" I asked.

"...I'm sorry," she stated, "I wanted to tell you, but I was forced into hiding all those years ago...it was for my own safety, you see."

"...What are you talking about?" I asked.

"...Yggdrasill...Mithos, is after the Triforce pieces, as you well know..."

Sheik held up her hand, showing it's back to me. There was a sudden flash and then a dim glow...as the Triforce crest appeared on it.

"..." I paled.

"When he laid hands on it, he only got the power piece," she began.

"...And?"

"The other two pieces, wisdom and courage, sped off to the ones it deemed worthy to wield them, I possess the wisdom Triforce,"

she stated.

"...What of the other?"

I saw a glint in her eyes, a 'I know something you don't' kind of glint that I had grown accustomed to seeing in Yuan's own face.

"Where do you think it is?"

...You're kidding me.

"Kratos! Look! Your hand!"

"..."

The Triforce crest was glowing on the back of my hand, my eyes widening. No...there must be some mistake, courage was one thing

I lacked in, I had done so many cowardly things in my life...

"Don't think it's a mistake," Sheik stated, "...It takes courage to do the right thing, to overcome your faults, your griefs, your

fears...but it takes all the more courage to do such even after you have fallen to them, to try again, to try to repent."

"..."

But I...I was so weak hearted, I...

"You're doing the right thing now, aren't you? You admit your faults, your weaknesses, your mistakes...and you're still trying to atone.

That is courage, albeit not the same courage many would think of...and now..."

The crest on her hand began to grow even more brightly.

"I can finally reveal myself."

I said it before, I'll say it again, why is there always bright lights when something 'magical' happens? Perhaps the forces that be just

have a fetish with blinding light?

At any rate...

"..."

"..." she smiled, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Mae..."

My sister was standing in front of me, smiling brightly in the white and pink gown, the Triforce earrings dangling off her ears.

"Whaddya think? I look good, don't I?" she grinned, "I'm just lucky I didn't go blond like you did...Origin must hate your guts."

Yep, that was Mae.

"...Where have you been?" I barely managed to ask.

"What? That's it? Not a 'Oh my mana I was so dang worried about you' or a 'that's a cool transformation trick' or a 'how've you

been'? Not even a 'hi'?"

"..." I glared.

"...H-hey...don't look at me like that..." she fidgeted.

"Mae-" I started.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Eeek-! Wh-what was that?!" Navi cried.

"Oh sh-!" Mae started.

SHING!

"Oh no!" Navi cried.

A large, crystalline cage of sorts sealed around her, blocking her off from us.

"Mae-!"

"I can't believe you were STUPID enough to show yourself already!" a voice cackled from nowhere, "GEEZ! Maybe you're where

Lloyd got his stupid genes!"

"Mithos-!" I shouted.

"Ah, what's the matter, Kratos? Don't like your sister in trouble?"

"Let her go-!"

"Deal with it, jerk! Let's see how you like your sister wrenched from you!"

I dashed forward toward Mae's crystal, attempting to slash it open with the Master Sword, which didn't even leave a scratch.

"Dammit, I thought that sword was supposed to be good!" Mae shouted.

"Grr...!" I growled.

"Well, Kratos, if you want her back, go ahead and try to take her!"

I hammered at the crystal one final time before it, and Mae, simply vanished.

"..." I quivered, my vision going red.

"You know where to find us, Kratos! AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

In the past, I felt bad for my student's...condition, for what he had become, but now the only thing I could think of was how many

ways I was going to cut him apart.

**Me: DUDE! O.O I did it! I FINALLY got this chapter up! And I wrote the majority of it in one day! Not stretched out **

**weeks, ONE day! n.n OH YEAH!**

**Lloyd: Why's that such a big deal?**

**Genis: Because she hasn't done that for like a year.**

**Cheresea: Congrats! n.n**

**Me: Eeheheh. n.n All right, next chapter, Kratos goes off to save his sister and rip Mithos a new one! X3 Eheheeheheh!**

**Lloyd: Review!**

**Genis: Y'know...please? n.n'**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello, peeps! Como estas?**

**Lloyd:...I wish I knew what that meant...**

**Me: Well, this is the last chapter. n.n Wow...come a long way. n.n**

**Cheresea: It's almost over already?**

**Genis: Well, she still has the 'Majora Mask' one after this...**

**Cheresea: Aw sweet! n.n I love that game!**

**Lloyd: And I'm not gonna be in it, huh...?**

**Genis: Hey, don't complain, I wasn't in here at all!**

**Me: Hm...then again, I don't wanna strand Kratos with Tatl after this...maybe I'll have someone else come with him...**

**Cheresea: OOH! Really!? Who?!**

**Me: We'll see...**

**Lloyd: Freakyanimegal owns nothing! n.n**

The castle was a black citadel, over molten lava, which of course, posed a difficult question. How was I supposed to get up there

without wings? I doubted the hookshot would be able to-

"Hey, Kratos!"

I turned around and almost fell over my own feet.

"A-?"

Anna was grinning at me from behind, Darunia, Abigal, Impa, Martel and 'Rauru' with her as well, though I deduced them to be

illusions, based on the fact they weren't entirely solid. Anna gave me a thumbs up.

"Leave this to us, 'kay?" she winked. "Hit it!"

There was a bright flash, and another burst of light behind me, where a bridge of multi-colored light had solidified, making a path

into the castle.

"..." I began to say something.

"No need to thank us, we just rock like that!" Anna grinned.

"Go get'em, Kratos!" Martel cheered.

"Yeah, Mr. Hero," Abigal smirked.

"DON'T YOU SMIRK AT HIM! HE'S MINE, FISHSTICK!" Anna roared.

"Fishstick-!? At least I'm not a child!"

"Don't make me whip out some tartar sauce, wench!"

"And lemon!" Martel snapped, flushing.

"Ladies, please..." 'Rauru' sighed.

"Oh...sorry, Origin..." Martel flushed.

"I'm not!" Anna huffed, glaring at Abigal.

"At any rate...we have a gift for you," Origin looked at me, "I assume Mae would've given it to you, if she hadn't been

apprehended..."

"Woah-!" Navi dingled.

A faint golden glow surrounded me, then died down.

"Light magic," Martel chirped, "you can use it with your arrows, it'll be useful since you can't do much else magic anymore."

"Oh cool!" Navi dingled. "These will be a big help!"

"Good luck," 'Rauru' nodded.

"...Thank you." I smiled, "I'll see you later."

Anna blew me a kiss before the lot of them disappeared, Navi going 'ooooohhhh!' as I felt a tint of color flush my cheeks.

"Be quiet, you know perfectly well our relation."

"Right right, so are we going after Mithos, or what?"

Damn right we were.

"Indeed, let's get going."

The citadel was...well, it was a lot like a showing hall for dungeons. Each section was modeled like the various temples we had

been through, with monsters and puzzles in every one, of course. Though at the end of each was a glowing mass, which as per

Navi's advice, I shot a light arrow at. Needless to say, I was a little shocked when Anna appeared with it.

"Miss me already?" she grinned, "This is the first barrier to getting at Mithos, you gotta get the others, and then beat his sissy-ass!"

"...I intend to," I smirked.

"Don't die, Kratos." she grinned.

"That's my line."

"I know! See ya!"

"...You really are a weird match," Navi said, "you're totally different..."

"Hmph," I snorted.

"What? I was just saying..."

We continued our way until we had managed to unlock the barriers and head up the extremely tall building. Then, it was nothing to

the Tower of Salvation...I remembered one such time the warp panels broke while Yuan and I were investigating power outages

inside of it... We had to walk up the whole thing. It took us several days, and that was without rest with the exception of the time

Yuan and I started fighting over who's fault it was... Right. At any rate... The further in we went, I started to hear a song of sorts

which got louder the more we walked. I wasn't quite sure if I had ever heard it, but it sounded familiar... What kind of instrument

was that? An organ? It wasn't long before I found the source and walked in...

"..." I froze in my tracks.

A room with a large organ at the wall I faced, a dark-clothed man sitting there playing as a crystal hovered above him with my

sister inside it...

"..." I stopped myself from shouting.

Mae was unharmed, but looked insanely...well, bored. She was curled up in the crystal twirling her hair around her finger, rolling

her eyes in her 'I'm bored' fashion.

"Geez," I heard her scoff, "what's with the organ music? Going for 'dramatic badass villain'? I'm sorry, but you can't pull it off..."

The man twitched.

"And seriously, I thought my brother going blond was ironic enough, but you getting red hair?" she laughed. "That and you so do

not look anything like 'you' anymore you know. I mean, at least Kratos still has his face..."

He twitched again.

"Aw, did I strike a nerve, Mi-mi?" Mae smirked.

The man slammed his hands down on the keys, standing up.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP!?" he shouted.

"Why should I?" Mae grinned, apparently enjoying herself. "It's only a matter of time before Kratos comes and kicks your gayman

butt, so I should just make myself comfortable while I wait, Mi-mi!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!"

"What? So you want I should call you Ganondorf? Or maybe GanonDORK? Personally, 'Yggdrasill' sounds cooler...but

whatever, Ganondork."

"Don't call me that! Damn you-!!"

"...Well, I see you two are having fun..." I muttered.

Mae looked up from having been smirking at Mithos and grinned.

"Kratos! I knew you'd be here! But watch out, seriously."

"What? Is it a trap?!" Navi cried.

I tensed.

"No, it's just Mi-mi's gotten a makeover too, and boy is he ugly."

"I AM NOT!"

"Huh? IS he really that- EEEEEEEKKK!!" Navi shrieked.

My jaw dropped, my eye twitching as I did a strange mix between snickering and some sort of stroke-induced grunt. Mae was

right...he was ugly.

"..." I twitched.

"STOP LAUGHING!"

"..W-what..." I couldn't keep my voice steady, "happened..t-to y-you...?!"

I bit down on my teeth to attempt to stop myself, but being in the body of an overemotional teenager can really interfere with

attempts at being calm and collected. I tried to keep a straight face...fight it...fight it...

Oh to hell with it.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!" I laughed, clutching my gut.

"..." Mithos twitched.

See, I may have had some hair and eye alterations...but at least I had my face. Mithos still had his green-blue eyes, and the same

hair style (regardless if it was dark red) but...his face was...well, there's a reason Mae called him 'Ganondorf'...

"L-look at that NOSE-!!" I almost choked. "Th-that's-! AHAHAH!"

"SHUT UP YOU-!!!"

"AHAHAAHAHAH!" Navi laughed with me.

"That's-! That's-!" I guffawed. "Oh Yuan would LOVE this!!!"

"I know, right?" Mae grinned. "Poor Marty would have a heart attack..."

"Oh gods!" I gasped, still laughing. "Martel! Oh that poor woman!!"

"Grrr..._**SHUT UP!!!**_"

I had abruptly stopped laughing, instinctively placing my shield before me to block off the waves of darkness hammering at us.

Navi was blown into the wall and fell to the ground. Before I could do much else the room changed, a platform in the center of the

room with flooring several feet around it.

"Kratos-!" Mae cried as she disappeared.

"You want to laugh, Kratos?!" Mithos snarled. "I'll give you something to laugh about!!"

He placed the back of his hand out to show me, the Triforce mark gleaming on it.

"I have the power piece, Kratos...DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU'RE GONNA STOP ME?!" he roared. "DO YOU

REALLY THINK YOU _**CAN**_, BY YOURSELF!?"

He shot a blast of light magic at me with such speed I barely dodged.

"You don't have Lloyd and the others to back you up, this time!!" he snarled.

More blasts and I barely managed to evade them, the last one grazing my shoulder.

"Ugh-!" I grunted.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. Last time it had taken all of us to defeat him, and Lloyd with the Eternal Sword and

Sheena with the summon spirits...and I was without my wings, without my angel senses, and without any ability to use my most

powerful spells? What COULD I-

Wait...the arrows!

I quickly shot a light infused arrow at Mithos, which he simply swatted away.

"What the hell was THAT supposed to do?!" he sneered.

...Damn, he was right...I had to find a way to wound him, or at least distract him long enough to get that shot in... He shot at me-

...Wait, isn't this what happened at the forest temple...?

Heh.

"Hyah!"

I knocked the magic back with the Master Sword and Mithos quickly knocked it back, not willing to get hit. Thus we entered into

a dangerous volley for a few tense seconds before I finally managed to hit it back at a quick enough speed to hit him.

"GAH-!!" he shouted.

I quickly set another arrow, imbued it with light magic, shot-

"GGRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

"...Heh," I smirked, "didn't like that?"

"YOU-!"

"Father of Lloyd?" I asked blandly, remembering the pathetic insult he had thrashed at my child. ('Son of Kratos'...tch.)

Mithos' eye twitched.

"Why you-!!"

He thrashed at me, this time with his fists. Though this would have been a minor threat back in Sylvarant/Tethe'alla or Derris-

Kharlan, here was a different reality. Meaning Mithos had muscles. Tch, giving the wimp muscles and me the Triforce of Courage?

What kind of mess of a place was this? Not even counting Mae being the holder of the 'Wisdom' piece... This only furthers onto

my theory of the 'goddesses' being torch-juggling incest lesbians, how else could this happen?

"HYAH!"

"Guh-!"

Damn it all! He got my arm...! What I'd give to have my old healing techniques back... Curses! He's coming at me again! ...

THERE!

"GAARGH!!"

I had left a rather nasty gash down his arm, causing him to emit a rather vulgar string of shouts that I decided to take advantage of

rather than sit there and listen. However, he managed to get back and threw a volley of magic at me which I managed to strike

back. This continued until he knocked me flat into the wall, grabbing my throat and holding me up against the stone.

"Ugh...!" I grunted.

"Heh heh...well, see you in the next life, Kratos," Mithos grinned.

Dammit! No!! I can't-!!

"GARH-! WHAT THE HELL!?"

Mithos had released me and I fell to my knees, attempting to catch my breath as he yelled about something or another. Why had

he dropped me...?

"...How the HELL did you get-!?"

I blinked and realized that the locket Lloyd had given me was hanging loosely around my neck, dangling inches off the ground.

"..."

Lloyd had given that to me...because he cared about me. Heh, I never though he ever could, in all honesty, after what I have done

to him... I promised him once that I'd make up for my deeds, but...I hadn't yet, had I? ...No.

Not yet.

I mounted and aimed another arrow faster than I would've thought possible in this state and shot it straight at Mithos' head. I saw

his eyes widen but he was too close now, and I had reacted too fast...

I watched it sink into his skull.

"..."

And then he fell.

"..."

I wanted to say something...I felt like I had to, I just...couldn't think of anything to say. My old comrade, my old student, the

second time I had played a part in his destruction... I couldn't help but feel that somehow this was my fault, that he had gotten so

twisted...

"...Kratos..."

I looked up to see Mae, freed from her prison and looking at me.

"...I-" she started.

"Are you all right?" I interrupted.

"...Yes," she nodded, "I- Wait! What about Navi?!"

Oh crap.

"Navi-!" I jolted, looking to where she had fallen.

We ran over to where she lay and I stared at the fallen puffball in horror. She was annoying as hell, yes, but we had been through

so much together...

"Kratos! She twitched!" Mae said.

I blinked and then felt a smile try to work it's way into my face as the annoying flying hindrance managed to float up into the air,

somewhat dizzily.

"Woah...my head...what'd I miss?" she muttered.

"...Heh," I smirked.

"Huh? Kratos? Oh! And Mae-!! You won!?" she dingled.

I smiled softly.

"Oh I am SO sorry I couldn't help you at all!"she cried. "I-!"

"Don't worry about it, I managed," I chuckled a little.

"Yeah," Mae grinned, "way to go, Mr. Hero!"

"...Don't call me that." I muttered.

"Heh heh," she grinned. "Well-"

"OH!!" Navi cried.

I almost gasped as I felt the castle begin to shake around us.

"It's collapsing..." I whispered. "We need to leave. NOW!"

I grabbed Mae's hand and Navi flew under my hat as we tore out the exit, running as fast as we could. Damn, if I had my wings

we'd be out of here in a second- ...wait...did I just hear something shriek...?

Double-damn.

"Re-deads!!!" Navi cried.

I decided to react before I could spare another thought, slicing the monstrosities in halves as we ran in between them. We entered

another room-

and the doors slammed on us.

Triple-damn.

"Iron knuckles at five o'clock!" Navi cried.

I swore, "Mae, get back-"

"Get BACK? Are you kidding!?"

Mae closed her eyes a minute and there was a brief flash before she stood before us in the 'Sheik' form, a glint in her eyes.

"I never got to show off my mad Sheikah skills, watch this, bro!"

An Iron Knuckle made a swipe at her and she fluidly dove under the weapon, slid around it's leg and jabbed what I assume was

some type of knife into a bare spot on it's back, leaping backwards as it blindly thrashed in pain.

"Hyah!"

There was a flash much like Impa's and the thing fell forward.

"Finish it!" Mae cried.

I brought the sword down through the spot she had stabbed it, killing it.

"All right!" Navi grinned. "Now get the other one! Hurry!"

"Right!"

We dispatched the other monster and continued our escape. I caught a light at the end of the long hallway we were racing down,

the steps crumbling as we ran on them. Had to make it, that's all I could think.

Had to-!!

"OOF!"

"AAH!"

"EEK!"

I opened my eyes and looked up just to see the building collapsing...several feet away. I grabbed Mae's wrist and dragged her to

the furthest spot we could get from the ruins as they became just that, the three of us watching it seem to deflate, like a circus tent

that had it's poles yanked from under it...

"...Heh...heh heh..."

Mae 'poofed' back to her normal form, grinning.

"WE DID IT! WE'RE ALIVE! SKLEE!"

"Ack-!"

Mae hugged me tightly, squealing like a child. Anna would be laughing her head off if she saw this, the humiliation...and honestly,

'sklee'? What kind of idiot says 'sklee'? As I tried to remove my sister from strangling me-

"..Tell me that rubble didn't just move," Mae whispered.

"...The rubble didn't just move?" Navi asked hopefully.

"...You've got to be kidding me..." I whispered.

There was no way. He couldn't possibly... I walked forward with my sword drawn, begging whatever forces that be that he wasn't

still-

"KRAATTOOOOOSSSS!"

...I have concluded that there is in fact a God, and that he or she for a fact enjoys sadistic irony in order to make me suffer.

"Oh no-!!" Navi dingled.

Mithos burst from the rubble and I considered running up and putting the Master Sword through his head before he could do

anything, but I was too slow. The debris flew at me and before I knew what was happening this...thing, took Mithos' place. I

should've known, he always had some monstrosity of a last resort, like that...cybernetic creature, he had transformed into on

Derris-Kharlan, which I had never quite discovered what it was, though I assumed it was an after-affect of the Eternal Sword's

power. Regardless, the large, demon-like being before me was not going to go down easy. At least I had the Master Sword, or

else I'd-

It swiped at me and the sword went flying next to Mae, who was blocked off from me by a ring of flames that had appeared.

...Yes, there is indeed a God.

"OH SNAP!" Mae cried.

"OH NO!!" Navi cried.

If Lloyd was here, I'm certain he would yell 'OH BUTTERNUGGETS!' just for the sake of disrupting dramatic tension...not that

he knew what that meant. 'Mithos' roared, almost knocking me off my feet. Great, wonderful, splendid, what was I supposed to

do now?! I couldn't-

"THE TAIL! GO FOR THE TAIL!" Navi cried.

"And how do I do that?!" I snarled.

"Improvise!"

Improvise? Who did she think I was, Lloyd? Without a sword I was inches from dead, I needed some kind of weapon, and

stabbing a light arrow into his tail wouldn't exactly be of much help to me-...

Or...

"Watch out!!!"

I barely managed to dodge the claws and copied Mae's move from earlier, ending up behind him and facing the tail. He tried to

turn at me but his new form made him sluggish and therefore too slow to meet my speed. I brought the arrow up, imbued it with

the light magic and drove it as far as I could into the seemingly scale-like flesh.

My eardrums almost shattered at the sound of the screetch.

"KRATOS!"

I barely managed to look in time. The flame wall had disappeared, barely. Before I could think about it I raced forward, grabbed

the Master Sword, and ran back for the kill, Mae letting out a yelp as I did so.

"It's getting up!!" Navi cried.

I hate it when she's right...

"Ah-!"

It's claw barely grazed my arm, a trickle of blood dripping down the white sleeve. I couldn't allow this to go on much longer, it was

getting faster... Oh no-!

WHAM!

Then I hit the floor.

"KRATOS!!" I heard the girls scream.

"Gah-!!"

A clawed foot had pressed me into the ground, a grutal, choking sound I assume was laughter vibrating through it's body as I

struggled to breathe. Then the pressure increased and I let out a desperate gasp for air, feeling my thoughts becoming blurred from

the lack of oxygen.

Crack.

...What had...?

No.

The locket...he had cracked the locket.

"KRATOS!!" Mae cried again.

...The bastard...had destroyed...my locket... The object my SON had given me...how dare he...how. DARE. HE!!

The pressure increased again.

"GAAAH!"

Damn...no, I couldn't die here...I couldn't...

Suddenly, the pressure was gone.

"..."

The beast was howling in pain, a bright light engulfing it that was coming from...Mae?! A beam of light was subduing him...

"Kratos-!" she grunted. "I'm doing my best-!! You've gotta-!!"

It roared, the magic dispelling from around it.

"NO!!"

I watched as it charged at her on all fours, her eyes going wide in horror as if in slow motion. What could I do? I could barely

move, I think he had broken a few of my ribs, but I had to get to her...I couldn't watch someone precious to me perish again... My

arms wouldn't move, my legs wouldn't move, no matter how much I screamed at them to, I couldn't...but I had to...I had to...!

_DAD! _

...The Master Sword was lodged in between it's eyes, the body collapsing onto the ground as blood seeped from it's skull. As if I

was opening my eyes, the hilt came into focus, then my hands around it, purple-clad.

"..." I paled.

I wasn't seeing things.

"Kratos-!"

"MOVE!!" Navi cried.

I pulled the sword out just as it gave another shout, this one more enraged then hurt, impossible! That should've-!! The claws came

at me again and I managed to block them with my sword... I could actually block it!! And everything seemed so much sharper...

"Hold on!!" Mae cried. "Hold him off just a little longer!!"

I dodged and leaped and parried, slashing any opportunity I got, moving at speeds I hadn't been able to accomplish since I had left

the world which contained Sylvarant and Tethe'alla.

"NOW-!"

The blade removed it's head from it's shoulders, blood spurting out at me as it's remains simply disappeared into nothingness...

FLASH!

"..."

"Kratos?"

Where we...floating? What was this place...?

"...Good job."

Before I could locate the source of the voice I found myself facing the Master Sword's pedestal...with the blade inside of it.

"What in the-? HEY!"

I yelped, I had reverted back to my forest-boy child from, whirling around trying to find out what exactly had happened.

"We sealed him."

"Huh? Anna?!"

She smiled at me, having been standing right behind me when I had arrived.

"Mae and the sages sealed him, you see...we couldn't kill him, not while he had that Triforce piece...but he's gone now."

"...So...it's over...?" I whispered.

Anna nodded, "You kept your promise, this time."

"..." I flushed lightly.

"We did it, Kratos," Navi said, "so you got sent back to the past."

"...Where's-?"

"Mae should be in the gardens," Anna smiled, "it's kinda paradoxical, but she's here while her other self is off getting trained by

Impa...while the other you should be sleeping in the sacred realm about now."

"..." I stared.

"Hey, 'you' explained it to me," she rolled her eyes, "besides, I'm the 'future' one, my old self is probably waiting for you back in

Kokiri."

"...This is very confusing," I stated.

"Yeah, no kidding," she laughed, "...I'll see you later, okay?"

With that, she kissed my cheek...and vanished.

"..." I flushed.

"...Well, I should be going too."

"What?" I asked, looking toward Navi.

"My job was to get you to the end of this," she said, "and since you're not really a Kokiri I need to be going..."

"..." I could only stare at her.

"...I've gotta say though," she laughed, "we had quite an adventure, even moreso than what I thought when I met you. Geez your

life is strange."

Tell me about it...

"...Maybe I'll see you again, okay?" she said.

I couldn't really say anything to that, all I could do was watch as she flew toward the open window...

"...Goodbye, Kratos." she dingled.

"..." I smiled weakly. "Goodbye..."

...Once she left I paused for a moment, then flinched as I remembered. I reached into my shirt and pulled out the locket to see

what damage had been done...

"..."

The locket was intact, and somehow a note had attached to it...

_Hey, Dad,_

_Good job beating Mithos, I hope you didn't mind me talking Origin into letting you use some of your old moves and stuff, _

_hope you're not too ticked. And I had to fix this, too, geez! Take better care of your stuff, Dad! Just kidding._

_Say Hi to Mom for me!_

_Lloyd_

I felt a smile overcome my face as I pocketed the locket, unable to surpress the happiness it was still intact. Heh, Lloyd...I really

did owe him so much more than I could every repay... However, I had one more thing to check up on before I went back to

Anna. I snuck back into the castle gardens, and sure enough, my sister was sitting there, still looking through her window.

"...Ahem," I coughed.

She turned slowly, staring at me a minute, then grinned.

"Way to go, Mr. Hero!" she laughed.

I smiled lightly, then I smirked.

"Heh."

**Me: O.O! OMG! I DID IT! I FINISHED IT! SKLEE!!!**

**Lloyd:...Didn't you say only idiots say sklee...?**

**Me:...**

**Cheresea: So the story's not the only paradoxical thing...**

**Me:...Shut up.**

**Genis: Well, whatever, congrats, Freaky!**

**Cheresea: Yeah! n.n Congrats!**

**Lloyd: So...when you gonna do the next one?**

**Me: Don't pressure me, man! --' A month at the most, m'kay? **

**Cheresea: Just take your time, I'm sure you'll do fine! n.n**

**Me: Thanks! n.n**

**Genis: Way too many 'n.n's...**

**Lloyd: Thank you all for reading!**

**Cheresea: And till next time...SKLEE! **

**Lloyd:...**

**Genis:...**

**Cheresea: ...What?**

**Me: Thanks for everything guys! SKLEE!**


End file.
